Compass Spring Pliers
by Randy A. Bergum
Copyright July 2003
While working on manuals from Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton, I ran into trouble trying to remove the compass
springs that return the keys. These springs live underneath the keyframe under other parts and are tough to get
at.
I welded rod extensions onto a normal set of spring loaded needle-nose pliers, then welded small S-shaped tabs
onto the rods. The business end was then dipped into a vinyl solution used for making grips on pliers and tools.
This dip coated the tabs and made them "grippy" so the springs wouldn't fly across the room.
Fig 1. The Pliers
Fig 2. The Pliers - End View of a Well Used Pair
Fig. 3 The Pliers At Work
The pliers work well and were pretty easy to make.