How about a seperate category (on this site) for technicians - tips, problems, ideas etc?
Just a thought.
Just a thought....
Moderators: Feg, Gill the Piano, Melodytune
I can see the sense in that, although personally I like the variety of questions that come up with things as they are. I would probably consider myself 'out of my depth' in a techician's category so wouldn't check the threads. One of the great pleasures of the forum for me has been to pick up bits of information along the way from all you boffins out there!
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Barrie Heaton
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Re: Just a thought....
open or closedBrumtuner wrote:How about a seperate category (on this site) for technicians - tips, problems, ideas etc?
Just a thought.
Barrie,
Barrie Heaton
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Web Master UK Piano Page
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Gill the Piano
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Re: Just a thought....
Errmmm, closed.Barrie Heaton wrote:open or closedBrumtuner wrote:How about a seperate category (on this site) for technicians - tips, problems, ideas etc?
Just a thought.
Barrie,
Last edited by Brumtuner on 02 Oct 2015, 19:06, edited 2 times in total.
Nope!! I seem to remember making the bushing wedges in the carpentry shop in the main college along with a trolly frame etc.
However one thing we did find was a equestrian supplies shop in Newark near Maltbys the iron mongers selling nice red wrappings for horses lower legs which was................ bushing cloth!!!!! Only one thickness but worked out at about 2% of the cost the supply house charged. Never did work out if the piano trade was using horse supplies or horses using piano material.
I still have fond memorys of my 3 years there.
However one thing we did find was a equestrian supplies shop in Newark near Maltbys the iron mongers selling nice red wrappings for horses lower legs which was................ bushing cloth!!!!! Only one thickness but worked out at about 2% of the cost the supply house charged. Never did work out if the piano trade was using horse supplies or horses using piano material.
I still have fond memorys of my 3 years there.
Re: Just a thought....
I have to agree with Gill on this one. It is nice to look through the various posts and as a musician and piano owner, otherwise known as "non-techie", is important to know when you are being taken advantage of and when you are being given dodgy advice. You sometimes encounter a conflict of interest between people depending on their position, i.e. seller/buyer, tuner/customer, business owner/customer, etc. as I have encountered in the past but that is part and parcel of a forum.Brumtuner wrote: Errmmm, closed, so we can exchange brilliant info that the non-techies can ever get to see.
Problem is, everyone will now sign in with a tuner-esque nick - like me - except I am a tuner. Honest. Check with Newark Tech. (1977-1980).
To start separating groups like this is controversial as it rouses suspicion between "groups" and encourages elitism, particularly if tuners get their own closed forum and digital pianos don't for example. Quite rightly, this would easily be perceived as favourtism! At some stage or other, there will be things that we would like to share with some people but not with everyone and that is why we have the private message service on the forum. At the end of the day, who is to say who really is a tuner and who is not when you sign up? This would be impossible to regulate or to control. Membership by invitation would also sour the feel of the forum.
After all, tuner jargon will go over my head and, consequently, be as useless to me as much as my musical terminology will to non-musicians so why bother trying to exclusify postings unless there is something worth hiding and, in which case, probably shouldn't grace a forum at all? Last time I checked, this was an open piano forum, that is for all things piano related, and not an exclusive club for tuners or any other group. I am not at all opposed to the existence of an open forum for tuners or piano maintenance, etc., but a closed one is an entirely different matter.
I just don't get how posting "brilliant information" as you put it and either hiding it or not letting other people see it, is not a conflict of interest!
"I just don't get how posting "brilliant information" as you put it and either hiding it or not letting other people see it, is not a conflict of interest!"
Fair enough.
Fair enough.
Last edited by Brumtuner on 02 Oct 2015, 19:05, edited 1 time in total.
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Gill the Piano
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[/size]Brumtuner wrote:"I just don't get how posting "brilliant information" as you put it and either hiding it or not letting other people see it, is not a conflict of interest!"
Well, the thing is, for example, on clapped-out pianos with loose wrestpins, I use a home-made concoction that costs pennies. I pour the mixture into a 'Pin-Tite' bottle so it 'looks the part' when I start injecting.
This 'Pin-Tite' stuff costs several quids and it's crap (in my opinion).
Would a customer be as happy to part with their money if they knew just how simple to make and cheap the stuff I use actually is?
A successful technician has to tune and maintain their customers as well as their customers' pianos.
How would you feel if you found out that we rub earwax, sweat and shoe polish to disguise the odd casework scratches we inflict upon your beloved pianos?
....Exactly.
Anyway, must dash, I have a pile of irony to do.
Oh, that's a shame 'cos you didn't mention whether or not all tuners carried over their shoulder a sack marked 'SWAG', while wearing a black and white striped jumper with face-mask too!
Guess we'll never know now!
Use plenty of "sark" on that irony won't you!
"Oh, that's a shame 'cos I wanted to know if all tuners carried over their shoulder a sack marked 'SWAG', while wearing a black and white striped jumper and face-mask too! "
Hehe.
Hehe.
Last edited by Brumtuner on 02 Oct 2015, 19:08, edited 1 time in total.
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Barrie Heaton
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there are pros and cons to both I am subscribed to both types in the UK and the US I have been in one since 1992
In a closed one tuners are more happy to ask basic questions on thing they may have not been show or had an hangover that day it was been shown. You can post problems about makes that you would feel unhappy about posting on a open forum. (bin there and threatened with legal action) The big disadvantage is they get stagnant and are slow to attract new users and end up with tuners posting silly Jokes to keep it going.
Open ones the big advantage is the input from the great unwashed it cant take the discussion off into some very interesting directions and basic questions get asked so all learn The down side is they can get to popular and there are things the manufactures don't like being made public touch weight being one
those that are interested in the UK there are two closed ones one by the PTA and once by the ABPT (you have to be a member to get access)
In the US there is the oldest open one one run by the ptg they also have 2 closed ones as well MPTA has 2 closed ones and you have pinaoworld form
There are others in English some are specialised like the Fox one for player pianos and the one for Becks and of course you have the go old rec.music.makers.piano been on that one since 1992-3
Barrie,
In a closed one tuners are more happy to ask basic questions on thing they may have not been show or had an hangover that day it was been shown. You can post problems about makes that you would feel unhappy about posting on a open forum. (bin there and threatened with legal action) The big disadvantage is they get stagnant and are slow to attract new users and end up with tuners posting silly Jokes to keep it going.
Open ones the big advantage is the input from the great unwashed it cant take the discussion off into some very interesting directions and basic questions get asked so all learn The down side is they can get to popular and there are things the manufactures don't like being made public touch weight being one
those that are interested in the UK there are two closed ones one by the PTA and once by the ABPT (you have to be a member to get access)
In the US there is the oldest open one one run by the ptg they also have 2 closed ones as well MPTA has 2 closed ones and you have pinaoworld form
There are others in English some are specialised like the Fox one for player pianos and the one for Becks and of course you have the go old rec.music.makers.piano been on that one since 1992-3
Barrie,
Barrie Heaton
Web Master UK Piano Page
Web Master UK Piano Page
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Barrie Heaton
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How many of you lot are ex Newark then?
I was there '89-'92
Brumtuner! If I was to check your genuine tuner status with Newark, what should I ask John Lord? If 'Brumtuner' attended the college?
Were you there with Ben Nolan and Simon Kelly amongst others?
And not forgetting dear Mr Cyril Marris, or was it Malice?
I was there '89-'92
Brumtuner! If I was to check your genuine tuner status with Newark, what should I ask John Lord? If 'Brumtuner' attended the college?
Were you there with Ben Nolan and Simon Kelly amongst others?
And not forgetting dear Mr Cyril Marris, or was it Malice?
Open or Closed
On balance I would prefer open forums, but allowing the general public to see what some Tuner/Technicians get up to in this trade, perhaps they should be closed. In the last few weeks we have seen the following being advocated.
Ear wax & sweat.
Home made wrest plank restorer applied from a genuine product bottle.
counterfit software requests.
What next?
Ear wax & sweat.
Home made wrest plank restorer applied from a genuine product bottle.
counterfit software requests.
What next?
Re: Open or Closed
longbow wrote:On balance I would prefer open forums, but allowing the general public to see what some Tuner/Technicians get up to in this trade, perhaps they should be closed. In the last few weeks we have seen the following being advocated.
Ear wax & sweat.
Home made wrest plank restorer applied from a genuine product bottle.
counterfit software requests.
What next?
Perhaps a large dose of irony.
Apart from the plank restorer and the counterfeit software request!
a technical forum would be helpful, closed or not. Non techs would not understand the vocabulary any way.
all this talk of Newark in the 70s. What about the Northern Polytechnic in the 50s where I was regulation lecturer?
I'm factory apprenticeship trained in marking-off, finishing and reg and tuning.
With donkey's years of experience following on my dad, grandad great grand dad and g-ggrandad as tuners I am pleased to give any help I can to younger people in the trade.. Things change but the basics don't. a tech chat could be interesting.Be warned that there is always something new. A month doesn't pass without my meeting a problem I've never met before.
vernon
all this talk of Newark in the 70s. What about the Northern Polytechnic in the 50s where I was regulation lecturer?
I'm factory apprenticeship trained in marking-off, finishing and reg and tuning.
With donkey's years of experience following on my dad, grandad great grand dad and g-ggrandad as tuners I am pleased to give any help I can to younger people in the trade.. Things change but the basics don't. a tech chat could be interesting.Be warned that there is always something new. A month doesn't pass without my meeting a problem I've never met before.
vernon