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Upright Hammer Boring Jig

  • 1.  Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-28-2023 16:40

    What's the current version of the #16175 from the '82 APSCO catalog?

    I have to replace a spinet hammershank tomorrow, don't know when my trusty 16175 got left elsewhere (years ago), and will have to bring along my small bench drill press to do it in somebody's living room.

    (No, the current hammer boring jigs will not handle upright butts.) 



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    William Ballard RPT
    WBPS
    Saxtons River VT
    802-869-9107

    "Our lives contain a thousand springs
    and dies if one be gone
    Strange that a harp of a thousand strings
    should keep in tune so long."
    ...........Dr. Watts, "The Continental Harmony,1774
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    ------------------------------



  • 2.  RE: Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-28-2023 18:22

    The only one I know about is Renner's "Upright Hammer Boring Jig," which unfortunately appears to be sold out at the moment. You might call and ask if they have one in stock that's not appearing on the website. 



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    Benjamin Sanchez, RPT
    Piano Technician / Artisan
    (256) 947-9999
    www.professional-piano-services.com
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  • 3.  RE: Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Posted 03-29-2023 08:07

    The approach I learned from the writing of Bill Spurlock has resulted in my hammer boring jig gathering dust.

    Piano Technicians Journal - November 1993 - Page 19 - Vertical Shank Replacement.



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    Floyd Gadd RPT
    Regina SK
    (306) 502-9103
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  • 4.  RE: Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-29-2023 09:42

    Floyd Gadd went:

    The approach I learned from the writing of Bill Spurlock has resulted in my hammer boring jig gathering dust.Piano Technicians Journal - November 1993 - Page 19 - Vertical Shank Replacement.

    Thanks, I'll check this out.

    Benjamin Sanchez went:

    The only one I know about is Renner's "Upright Hammer Boring Jig," which unfortunately appears to be sold out at the moment. You might call and ask if they have one in stock that's not appearing on the website. 

    What I'm looking for is the size of a lime, and may have been dropped from Schaff's catelog 25-30 years ago. (But it would hurt for me to give them a call to see if they still have one left in a corner of the warehouse.)



    ------------------------------
    William Ballard RPT
    WBPS
    Saxtons River VT
    802-869-9107

    "Our lives contain a thousand springs
    and dies if one be gone
    Strange that a harp of a thousand strings
    should keep in tune so long."
    ...........Dr. Watts, "The Continental Harmony,1774
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-29-2023 10:36

    I have one of these, somewhere.  I found this by searching "piano hammer head boring jig", then looking at Images.  I'm not sure if it's still for sale.

    https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fforum.pianoworld.com%2F%2Fgallery%2F42%2Ffull%2F10678.jpg&tbnid=O6LWLExOq0gLiM&vet=12ahUKEwiL6LuqrYH-AhXDiO4BHf2NCf8QMygGegQIARBB..i&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fforum.pianoworld.com%2Fubbthreads.php%2Fgalleries%2F2779539%2Fun-named-hammer-boring-jig.html&docid=5OzY8T0yvQ69IM&w=800&h=600&q=piano%20hammer%20head%20boring%20jig&client=firefox-b-1-d&ved=2ahUKEwiL6LuqrYH-AhXDiO4BHf2NCf8QMygGegQIARBB



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    Paul McCloud, RPT
    Accutone Piano Service
    www.AccutonePianoService.com
    pavadasa@gmail.com
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  • 6.  RE: Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-30-2023 05:00

    Bill,

    Yes, I agree with Floyd. I haven't used mine in years but the extraction method that Bill Spurlock taught has served me well. Basically a small hole drilled into the top of the buried shank, squirt alcohol/water mix in the hole and let it set a minute, then turn a drywall screw into the hole and use your butane torch to heat the screw to the point of steam, then use extracting pliers to slowly pull the mass out. Works virtually every time. (And always make sure to burn your fingers on that hot screw before it cools down). Then chase the hole with the right drill bit and a new shank makes a perfect fit and angle in the original hole.  Same technique for a hammer with shank busted off flush.

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 7.  RE: Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-30-2023 10:41

    Peter went:

    I haven't used mine in years but the extraction method that Bill Spurlock taught has served me well.

    I Read Bill Spurlock's Pace Lesson on this (NOV '93) on my way out the door yesterday. I wish I had read yours, because Spurlock was short on details about the wall paper remover. 

    I picked up some at the local hardware store, and reading the directions, found that for a single cup of water/wallpaper-remover, I'd have to add 0.08 fluid ounces: a real case of clubfoot in my plans. The mixture (probably too heavy on the wall paper remover) succeeded only in pulverizing the shank in the butt, with no sign that the glue joint had been undone. (This was a 50's P. A. Stark spinet, and the glue looked synthetic.)

    So I postponed the tuning (the shank replacement on B2 being the necessary first step), and brought the parts back to the shop (including an unbroken neighbor for reference), to be done with a machinist vice and drill press. But I do get to try your instructions on the hammer head.

    In the meantime, I'd love to buy this boring jig from someone no longer using it. (Schaff said it got dropped from their catalog decades ago.)



    ------------------------------
    William Ballard RPT
    WBPS
    Saxtons River VT
    802-869-9107

    "Our lives contain a thousand springs
    and dies if one be gone
    Strange that a harp of a thousand strings
    should keep in tune so long."
    ...........Dr. Watts, "The Continental Harmony,1774
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-30-2023 11:14

    Bill,

    There is a remote possibility that there is a second one floating around my shop somewhere which (if so) will be a gift to you. I'll get to looking. 

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



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



  • 9.  RE: Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-30-2023 11:15

    I'm curious as to whether the Spurlock method will work with modern pianos that don't use hide glue. Anyone use that technique on non-hide glue joints? If it doesn't work, then the boring jig may not be dead.

    Roger



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    Roger Gable RPT
    Gable Piano
    Everett WA
    (425) 252-5000
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  • 10.  RE: Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-30-2023 12:14

    Roger,

    The heat from the screw will soften any glue, natural or unnatural.

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



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



  • 11.  RE: Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Posted 03-31-2023 09:22

    Now you inform me to NOT touch the screw lol



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    Les Koltvedt
    Marietta GA
    lkpianos@gmail.com
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  • 12.  RE: Upright Hammer Boring Jig

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-31-2023 22:20

    ROFl!

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



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