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Renner Shank Burner

  • 1.  Renner Shank Burner

    Posted 10-09-2022 13:46
    Anyone used the Renner Shank Burner? Satisfied?
    I looked for a demonstration video but did not find one.
    Could anyone explain how it works?
    Is it effective for in the field repairs?
    Certainly less expensive than "bending pliers" options.

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    Johnny Matlock
    Hays KS
    (785) 625-8486
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  • 2.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Posted 10-09-2022 14:16
    If you're looking for something out in the field I'd recommend this: Ancor
    It's very small and works well. I just had to make a couple modifications to it. It has a spark thing that's supposed to light it, but it stopped working, so I just light it with another lighter. Also I had to put a little cardboard in the bottom of where the lighter sits (there's an actual lighter inside of it) so it would make better contact. But, for touch-ups out in the field I think it's great.

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    "That Tuning Guy"
    Scott Kerns
    Lincoln, Nebraska
    www.thattuningguy.com
    PianoMeter, TuneLab & OnlyPure user
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-09-2022 14:50
    This is the one designed for upright shanks, not for grands. And it's a bit too long for some compact console hammer shanks. Designed by Mike Carraher.

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    Patrick Draine RPT
    Billerica MA
    (978) 663-9690
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-09-2022 21:41
    Got a picture?

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor

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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Posted 10-09-2022 23:06
    It's in the Renner Online Catalog, here:

    https://rennerusa.com/online-store/Shank-Burner-p376199197

    Kind regards.

    Horace

    On 10/9/2022 6:40 PM, Peter Grey via Piano Technicians Guild wrote:
    > Got a picture?
    >
    > Peter Grey Piano Doctor
    >
    > ------------------------------
    > Peter Grey
    > Stratham NH
    > (603) 686-2395
    > pianodoctor57@gmail.com
    > ------------------------------
    > -------------------------------------------
    > Original Message:
    > Sent: 10-09-2022 14:50
    > From: Patrick Draine
    > Subject: Renner Shank Burner
    >
    > This is the one designed for upright shanks, not for grands. And it's a bit too long for some compact console hammer shanks. Designed by Mike Carraher.
    >
    > ------------------------------
    > Patrick Draine RPT
    > Billerica MA
    > (978) 663-9690
    > ------------------------------
    >
    > Original Message:
    > Sent: 10-09-2022 13:45
    > From: Johnny Matlock
    > Subject: Renner Shank Burner
    >
    > Anyone used the Renner Shank Burner? Satisfied?
    > I looked for a demonstration video but did not find one.
    > Could anyone explain how it works?
    > Is it effective for in the field repairs?
    > Certainly less expensive than "bending pliers" options.
    >
    > ------------------------------
    > Johnny Matlock
    > Hays KS
    > (785) 625-8486
    > ------------------------------
    >
    >
    > Reply to Sender : https://my.ptg.org/eGroups/PostReply/?GroupId=43&MID=756269&SenderKey=9e630203-91a1-491d-8c04-f5c286672e79
    >
    > Reply to Discussion : https://my.ptg.org/eGroups/PostReply/?GroupId=43&MID=756269
    >
    >
    >
    > You are subscribed to "Pianotech" as horace@horacegreeleypiano.com. To change your subscriptions, go to http://my.ptg.org/preferences?section=Subscriptions. To unsubscribe from this community discussion, go to http://my.ptg.org/HigherLogic/eGroups/Unsubscribe.aspx?UserKey=18d8c323-aa1d-4526-8bf1-a6805870cbe6&sKey=KeyRemoved&GroupKey=2bb4ebe8-4dba-4640-ae67-111903beaddf.
    >


    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Posted 10-10-2022 10:49
    For twisting a shank, consider a charcoal lighter. They're quick, cheap and do not require AC. I tried several brands and settled on the pictured Coleman brand. 

    Coleman lighter




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    Randy Prentice RPT
    Tucson AZ
    (520) 749-3788
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-11-2022 11:50

    I've used the long charcoal lighters like Randy recommends for years now. They work very well on grands but, honestly, I'm afraid to use them on uprights. Sticking an open flame down the action just seems like a recipe for disaster to me. At least with a grand you can lift the hammers up and away from the rest of the action. 



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    Benjamin Sanchez, RPT
    Piano Technician / Artisan
    (256) 947-9999
    www.professional-piano-services.com
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Posted 10-11-2022 12:24
    Yes, Benjamin. Torching a piano would be a technicians worst nightmare. And I do worry about it. I try to keep the flame moving up and down the shank while at the same time putting a mild twist on the hammer, 2 or 3 seconds usually does the trick. Of course, caution and common sense should be exercised. Particularly if flammable lubricants are involved. 


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    Randy Prentice RPT
    Tucson AZ
    (520) 749-3788
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-12-2022 10:48
    I don’t know if it’s still on the market but the Ungar heat gun that I bought circa 1980 still works fine after all these years. Yes, it does need a power source but I hardly ever find that to be a problem. Randy’s lighter is a good backup.

    Bob Anderson, RPT
    Tucson, AZ


    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-10-2022 20:47
    I have used the Renner shank burner for years and love it. It s great in grands, uprights, consoles and even spinets. 
    When I worked in a college and high schools they came in really handy.











    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-10-2022 20:53
    How it works.
    Plug it in, it  heats up
    Place tool on shank close to head,  hold for a few seconds.  While holding bend head to center on strings. Sometimes it takes a couple times to get there. Sometimes you overbend it but it s an easy fix.



    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-10-2022 21:51
    Can it also be used to BEND a hammershank right or left?

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor

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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-11-2022 13:34
    I once actually ignited a vertical action with a charcoal lighter! Fortunately I was keeping a box of baking soda handy and was able to douse it pretty fast.
    More recently I've used a Weller heat gun from Pianotek. It works great if you use a certain attachment that comes with it. I would post a pic but I can't seem to make that work right now.

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    John Pope
    University of Kentucky School of Music
    Lexington, KY
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    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Posted 10-11-2022 14:30
    Anyone else use the "princess" heat gun? I've had one for years. Works quite well in both grands and verticals. 


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    John Formsma
    New Albany MS

    "Sneak up on optimal."
    --Ron Nossaman
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    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-11-2022 15:09
    This is why I swear by the barbecue lighter. I use it practically everyday to space shanks on upright pianos. It's often quicker than trying to move the butt by loosening the screw and also you don't change wear patterns on the butt by bending the shank, which can affect lost motion among other things. 

    The only time I ever had an "Oh SH**!!" moment was right after applying Protek to some flanges on an old upright. It probably would have been fine if I had let it dry longer but I noticed an alignment issue and grabbed my lighter and I did indeed have a nice flame going for a couple of seconds. Luckily I was in a school and nobody was around! I think the Protek flashed off pretty quickly but my heart rate definitely went into overdrive! That's the only time its happened and I've used the barbecue lighter to align shanks in uprights for many thousands of pianos. 

    Also watch out for hammer filings! They also make good tender. 

    Like anything we do, it takes practice and experimentation to develop an efficient technique, but it is very much worth the trouble.  The barbecue lighter needs no power source, and it is very quick. You can even do compound bends where you can space and square the hammer at the same time. 

    I've not really tried spacing hammers on a grand by heating and bending the shank except for maybe once or twice when the flange was particularly recalcitrant to spacing in the conventional methods.

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    Ryan Sowers RPT
    Olympia WA
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    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-11-2022 16:01
    Beware of open flames around a piano.

    I was told a story about a worker that was burning shanks (to line up hammers) on an upright and the hammers
    caught fire (because Steinway put a lot of lacquer on the hammers) he then tried to blow it out, but in doing so
    his false teeth flew out of his mouth, hit the strings, bounced back and fell between the shanks and the dampers,
    he tried to reach in to get them, but the fire got bigger, he then grabbed a bucket of water and thru on the piano.
    The next stations foremen kept calling down wondering where the piano was.
     
    John



    Original Message


  • 17.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Member
    Posted 10-11-2022 18:01
    There was a reason any open flames where not allowed in piano factories. Many piano factories where burned to the ground not as a result of the fire starting in the factory but because of the construction of the factories, amount of sawdust, finishing materials, wood inventory etc.  Often fire departments where made up of volunteers and equipment was inadequate . A large section of Boston on Washington Street in Boston burned down and in 1872 the Great Fire burned most of the city down

    However after the Chickering factory burned to the ground in 1852 from a fire started elsewhere (cause was never fully identified) there was a push to change construction and practices. The mammouth factory built in 1853/1854 incorporated fire doors, wire imbedded in the windows, sprinklers, hydrants at each corner, watchmen' and mill style construction using heavy wood beams,.
    .
    I have a hobby grade heat blower which is like a hair dryer that works fine on shanks. It is also very good at softening glue on hammer butts and hammer heads.
    Purchased from Micro-Mark tools. I would be very leery of using any type of flame especially on old dried out hammer shanks, cedar shanks etc.

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    James Kelly
    Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
    Pawleys Island SC
    (843) 325-4357
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    Original Message


  • 18.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-12-2022 13:08
    Ryan,
    I'm misunderstanding something. How is it that you are spacing hammers using heat but not bending shanks? Also how is it that bending shanks changes wear patterns on the butt?
    I'm curious not critical.
    Thanks!

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    John Pope
    University of Kentucky School of Music
    Lexington, KY
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    Original Message


  • 19.  RE: Renner Shank Burner

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-13-2022 00:44
    Rereading my post - I can see how I could have stated that more clearly, John. 

    What I MEANT to say is: If you use the heat of the flame to bend the shank you don't change wear patterns in the butt like you do when you space the hammer by loosening the screw and moving the flange. So, I am indeed bending the shanks with the barbecue lighter. My apologies about my lack of clarity. 

    Here's a short YouTube video demonstrating the technique: 
    https://youtube.com/shorts/8mm8nxaA7yE?feature=share

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    Ryan Sowers RPT
    Olympia WA
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    Original Message