Pianotech

You can find an electronic level on Amazon for around $10.  Projects to 25 feet

Honestly, i think its more important that the hammer line follow the curvature of the plate, so hammer blow and everything else that follows is consistent.

Admitting ignorance of the laser technology available for this purpose, so thoughts/comments are likely naive to irrelevant, but who's counting?

What are the outstanding advantages of laser levels in this application?  Are they more accurate (for someone already experienced in the process)? I could definitely 'see' an advantage if they are linked to a sound indicator, which would eliminate the reliance on healthy visual acuity or good lighting... also a boon to posture.  Could they be a useful aid for visually impaired technicians, the ranks of which I'm tending towards.

Problems emerge as per Chris's point:  string-plane irregularity and how we accomodate that, depending upon the degree of control we have over the initial set-up.  If we custom bored the hammers, that adjustment is built-in, and reflected in the hammer line (if all shanks are leveled).  In fact, in such case, a laser-imposed hammer line could/would distort the original intent.

Richard,

I recall seeing someone selling a laser-based system for doing key leveling, a "shade tree" version of what large piano manufacturers use in high production situations. Could it be that you saw the same thing, but may have misremembered it as being for setting hammer line?

Best,

Alan

Gerry -

How long ago were you doing these classes?  Do you have notes or other sorts of documentation?  Do you still employ these methods (to the extent that you still do any of this work, as opposed to your other full time employment of finding funny/quirky stuff on line?

The main limitation I could imagine would be in its inability to create a crowned key level.  Otherwise, seems like a toy with endless possibilites.