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THE
14
rrne Technical Department
(Continued from page 13)
easily. It is simply the principle of the brace
drill applied to a screwdriver.
For player work, too, a small breast drill
with a complement of both iron and wood bits
is extremely useful.
Wrenches and Pliers
Wrenches and pliers come next. A small
Stillson wrench is always useful, but the Ford
owner or automobilist of whatever kind will
probably have more than one in his motor car
anyhow. Pliers though are something else again,
as Abe Potash used to say. I begin with music-
wire cutters. It is worth while getting the very
best of these with removable jaws that can
be reground. Then one should have a pair of
flush-cutting nippers for cutting off flush pieces
of soft wire in actions, etc. Then one needs a
pair of gas pliers, a pair for easing keys, a pair
of parallel pliers for action work and a small
pair of duck-bill pliers for light work. I also
like for myself to have always a sturdy pair of
flat-jaw pliers.
And Then!
Miscellaneous tools for action regulating come
next. These should include at least the follow-
ing: two bending irons for action wires, regulat-
ing screwdriver for actions, very small regulat-
ing screwdriver for grand actions, hexagon
wrench for Steinway capstans, regular hook for
ordinary capstans, spacing iron for grand action
hammer-flanges, and front-rail pin regulating
iron.
For player-action work specially must be in-
cluded, in addition to the tools already men-
tioned as useful in this work, a pump for the
tracker bar, listening tube with earpiece for
tracing leaks and foreign sounds, primary valve
gauge and tracker-bar scale for identifying per-
forations.
In these days every customer almost in the
cities has a vacuum cleaner and that dispenses
with any need for a dust blower in these cases.
Still it is a useful tool, and, of course, one
should not forget the good old-fashioned glue
pot and its little alcohol lamp. When one can
get access to a handy stove the lamp may not
be needed, but it is always useful for melting
shellac or for similar delicate work, such as
bending hammer shanks, etc.
Well, now that I read the list it looks rather
formidable and at that I have probably left out
something; of course, I have. I had forgotten
the ivory clamps, and the other little hand vises
needed when one has to use glue. Incidentally,
though, it is my advice to send out to a specialist
all ivory gluing jobs which one does not have
to handle on the spot. I was always a poor
gluer of new ivories on old keys.
And Again!
Materials need not be discussed. Every man
knows what sort of stuff he needs and how
much of each kind he uses. It takes almost a
small trunk to handle all the needed material in
these days, what with the player-piano and all
the extra things we have to handle; but there
again, what is the Ford for if not to be the
patient beast of burden for the tuner?
Nevertheless, there is one more thing to be
said about both tools and materials and that
is about the way of carrying them. A neat, well-
upholstered tool case is to my mind as neces-
sary as good tools are, both because good tools
spoil if they are thrown in a heap into an untidy
old grip, and because for precisely the same
reason nothing is worse for the work or more
disgusting to the sight than a material and parts
bag burst open at one end and leaking punch-
ings, dust, bits of leather, half-hardened glue,
player valves, springs and wire parts, all in
hopeless confusion. When one approaches a fine
piano one should remember that to its owner
it represents a work of art probably acquired,
or in process of being acquired, at great sac-
rifice. It is very likely the most prized and
beautiful possession of the home. It should be
approached with a sense of its beauty and with
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
the respect due to it. The materials and the
tools to be used in restoring it should be well
housed, clean and neat, even professional. The
more nearly the whole layout approaches the
appearance of the surgeon's case of instruments,
the better for all concerned. And though it may
seem to be an impertinence, I should like to say
further that the personal appearance of the man
himself is just as important as anything else.
One need not be dressed always in the height
of fashion; but the immaculate linen, the fresh
shave, the well-cleaned shoes and the well-
brushed clothes, are within every man's power.
P. S.—Of course I had forgotten.something
else, the well-sharpened knife for cutting felt
and leather. And doubtless there are other
things, too. If so, no doubt my ingenious read-
ers will take care to remind me of them.
Correspondence
is solicited and should be addressed to William
Braid White, care of The Music Trade Review,
Western Division, 209 South State street,
Chicago.
Represents Rotary Club
BIRMINGHAM, ALA., October 6.—B. B. Burton,
president of the Cable-Shelby-Burton Piano Co.,
this city, has been appointed to represent the
Birmingham Rotary Club on the Birmingham
News Loving Cup Committee for 1924. The
committee is charged with the collection of
the man or woman who has rendered the great-
est service to the community during the year.
New Home for Music Dealer
A store building to be occupied by E. F.
Carroll, music dealer of Appleton, Wis., is being
erected in that city on College avenue. Specifi-
cations call for a two-story building of brick,
hollow tile and steel construction. Mr. Carroll
will occupy the entire building or will finish the
second story for offices.
OCTOBER 11, 1924
Leather Scarcity Causes
Increased Material Prices
T. L. Lutkins, Jr., States That Tanned Lamb-
skins Especially Have Wide Effect on Present
Condition in the Market
The widespread shortage of leather, particu-
larly of tanned lambskins coming from Eng-
land, from which pneumatic pouchskins for
player-pianos are made, has been a determining
factor this Fall in the matter of price and
quality of this merchandise, according to Ted
L. Lutkins, Jr., of T. L. Lutkins, Inc., 40 Spruce
street, New York. "We have personally been
fortunate," said Mr. Lutkins, "in obtaining for
most of our customers exactly the kind of
skins they have required, but we have had con-
siderably more difficulty this year in ordering
in quantity from the English tanneries.
"In spite of our continued warnings that such
a shortage was impending, due to the outbreak
of the hoof-and-mouth disease among the Eng-
lish flocks this Spring, a number of player man-
ufacturers have not heeded us and are now in
need of skins. We are endeavoring to supply
them as fast as we can obtain stock, and are
filling orders in the sequence of their being
received."
New Polish Offered
CHICAGO, I I I . , October 3.—A new polish is being
offered to the trade by Lyon & Healy, Inc.,
and is put up in a new and colorful carton,
accompanied by a display container holding
twelve bottles. The new carton has been de-
signed so attractively that the display is said
to sell almost automatically. The polish has
already found favor with piano and phono-
graph merchants who are ordering in quantity
lots.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
Our New
Tuners' Case No. 150
Light, Compact and Serviceable
When closed the aluminum trays nest together over the large compartment, which
measures 135#"x6"x4". The two left hand trays measure 13Ji"x2j4"xlH" and the
two right hand trays 13^"x3?4"xlfg". The partitions in right hand trays are
adjustable and removable instantaneously. Case is covered with seal grain imitation
leather and fitted with very secure lock and highly nickel-plated hardware trimmings.
Outside Dimensions: 1554" long, 7" wide, 8" high. Weight: 6]/ 2 pounds.
$13.00 each, F.O.B. New York.
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER & CO.
Piano and Player Hardware, Felts and Tools
New York—Since 1848
4th Ave. and 13th St.