ORDER XX.—WORKERS IN MIXED OR UNDEFINED MATERIALS (not elsewhere enumerated)

Sub-order 1.—Makers of Musical Instruments (not Piano, etc., Case Makers)

649.—Other Workers

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action filer (pianos)

files, by hand, metal standards, i.e. part of piano actions, to clean them in preparation for nickelling.

action screwer-down (pianos)

screws down parts of piano actions which are to be screwed to action rail, ready for action assembler (642) q.v.

busher, action busher

a coverer q.v. who inserts a small piece of felt, i.e. bushing cloth, in hole in action part already bored by borer (488) q.v., to make motion of part quiet and frictionless; secures it with glue and cuts off superfluous material.

centrer (piano actions)

puts pins into hopper, and places wooden parts in another part of machine which automatically drives pins into wooden parts and places them in correct position for centring.

coverer (piano actions)

glues felt or cloth on to levers or other wooden parts of piano actions, to reduce friction, with a small hand tool; cf. busher.

cutter-up (piano hammers)

a learner or apprentice who separates hammer heads after they have been covered with felt by hammer coverer q.v., for which purpose they are ranged in a row, in close juxtaposition; cuts apart, by hand, felt covering , hammer heads, or pushes felt-covered hammer heads up to small power-driven band knife.

edge grinder, edger

see polisher (gramophone records).

finishing boy (pianos)

fits pedal work in upright pianos; puts pedal sticks and rockers into place using chisels, screws, etc.; drills holes in piano keys, either with a hand drill or with an automatic machine drill (set up by skilled worker); inserts lead in holes so drilled, to make keys balance.

grinder (gramophone, etc., records)

puts raw materials, from which gramophone records are made, into a machine, which automatically grinds and mixes them, in readiness for rollerman (648) q.v.

ironer-up (piano hammers)

irons felt after it has been glued on to hammers by moving hammers over gas-heated iron or steel surface, by hand.

jacket cleaner (phonograph records)

see mould wiper.

mould wiper (phonograph records) ; jacket cleaner

wipes out, after each impression, cylindrical moulds used by pressman (648) q.v. in foaming phonograph records.

pedaller, pedalling maker (pianos)

screws iron or brass foot to bottom board, i.e. the stile, and to rockers; makes rocker sticks by sawing, to length, and rounding, with files, sandpaper, etc.; puts in springs and pedal feet with screws.

polisher (gramophone records) ; edge grinder, edger

places a record (which leaves mould and matrix with rough edges) between clamps, and keeps clamps tightly closed upon it by pressing a foot lever; switches on power, causing record to revolve at great speed; brings edge of revolving record into contact with an abrasive, which smooths and polishes it; is usually also a tester (gramophone records) q.v.

record boy, record girl (gramophone, etc., records)

carries records from place to place in works.

shanker (piano hammers)

fixes shank, or stem, of hammer, with glue, into prepared hole in hammer.

stitching hand (piano hammers)

feeds machine with felt-covered hammer head, and fits coil of wire on holder in machine, which automatically draws wire forward, cuts it, and rivets it through felt into hammer head to secure felt on head.

tester (gramophone records)

(i) examines records to see if they are scratched, cracked, or chipped, and if labels are intact and correctly placed; rejects any records that are faulty, and affixes new labels, if necessary; polishes records, by hand, with flannelette; is usually also a polisher (gramophone records) q.v.;

(ii) plays records, and notes faults in tone or in registering.

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From: A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921,
Ministry of Labour, 1927. Digitised by Peter Christian, August, 2016.   This text is in the Public Domain.