String serving tool

Dennarcher

Member
AIUK Saviour
Hi,

A friend bought a serving tool some time ago - no diagram for the route of the serving through the holes. He passed it to me to see if I could come up the necessary info. So far no joy. The tool in question has a manufacturers label which says it is a DroopSnoop Centriserve, with a web address of WWW.DroopSnoop .co .uk.

Hae tried to look this up but I only get "web page unavailable".

Has anyone any info on this piece of Kit please? Have tried various combinations of threading this but nothing seems satisfactory so far.

Regards,

Dennarcher>
 

Bald Eagle

New member
How many rollers are on it?? If 3, then from the spool to the bottom roller, then round and through the middle roller, then over the top and down to the hole in the midddle of the base??
 

Mark31121

Member
Ironman
can you take a picture of it - chances are there is something else very similar and you'd be able to copy that route
 

Dennarcher

Member
AIUK Saviour
Thanks Bald Eagle and Mark31121 for your replies. There are no rollers on this server tool, just the spool and 2 big holes and 3 little ones. I think that the 3 small holes are where the thread comes out depending on whether you are serving in the centre or the left or the right.
I will endeavour to take photos tomorrow and add them to my next reply (not very good at it!)


Dennarcher.
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
Are you sure there aren't some barely visible arrows molded into the plastic... assuming it's plastic?
I had trouble with mine at first until I saw the miniscule arrows.
Del
 

Bunsen

New member
Have a look on line at a Bohning serving tool. This doesn't have any rollers, just three holes you runtime thread through. Plenty of pictures on the web and an instruction vid on youtube.
 

EVC

New member
I also suspect it is a copy of Bohning by the description.

150x155Model26Server.jpg

I hope it is clear what to do from the image above, assuming, of course, this droopsnoop is a knock off of the Bohning.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
That is the same as one I have which is a Bjorn, I think.
Just to clarify( if it helps) the thread peels off the top of the spool down the hole closest to the centre. It comes back up through the hole furthest to the left. Then down the hole that hasn't been used so far. Lastly, it comes up the first hole and has to be threaded through the exit hole in the V shape.
 

Dennarcher

Member
AIUK Saviour
Hi further answers to questions above:

1. Definitely no arrows.

2. Made of metal - no plastic.

3. Nothing like a Bohning server.

Will now attempt to insert pics. DSC_0099.jpg DSC_0098.jpg DSC_0097.jpg DSC_0095.jpg
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Just looking at it, I would say that the thread will come off the top of the spool as in the bottom pic.
It will run over the label and inwards through the central hole in the curved over section. The tension is applied by the thumb screw alone and not by passing through any other holes.
To use it, I think you would take the short end that has come through the hole, and lay it along the bow string in the direction that will mean it gets covered over by the serving as it is wound on. To start the winding, the tool will need to be held off the string and by hand wind the serving in the direction you want. Put on a few windings so it will stay in place and keep the loose end pulled tight before you use the tool. When the windings will hold the loose end securely, hold the thread just where it peels off the reel and let the tool slide along the thread until it hangs over the bow string.By carefully winding back the spool on its axle, you can draw the loose thread in until the tool hangs over the bow string and there is no slack. Then wind the tool round the string, making sure it is travelling the way you want.
I have just been out to make a simple model of the tool and that is how it worked for me. As the tool is winding round you can see, as the underside faces uppermost, that the serving is winding properly.
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
....
I have just been out to make a simple model of the tool and that is how it worked for me. As the tool is winding round you can see, as the underside faces uppermost, that the serving is winding properly.
Above and beyond the call of duty Geoff!
Have a "like" on me :)
Del
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Heehee, it sounds harder than it was. I needed a hole in a flat piece of ally and then had to bend a curve with the hole on it. I replaced the reel with some mono round my finger!
 

Dennarcher

Member
AIUK Saviour
Thanks Bunsen. Had a look at the photo, that's identical to my Bjorn server that I've had for about 25 years. Nothing like the one in question though.
 

Dennarcher

Member
AIUK Saviour
Thanks Geoff, what a star you are!
I will adopt the routing you suggest tomorrow and give it a whirl(silly pun intended)!

BTW, I have a small problem with one of my classical guitars - the 19th fret bar does not extend bellow the b string. Don't suppose you could go and knock up a solution could you?(tongue in cheek).

Dennacher.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Guitar Fret Replacement: Fret Removal, Fingerboard Sanding, Slot Cleaning, Fret Installation
I found this.
The soldering iron with a groove filed in the end sounds good.
End nippers for removal seems like a good tip, too.
The fret saw, could be the sort of thing we used for cutting curves in thin ply when making jigsaw puzzles. I wonder if a nail file would be the right thickness for the job.
There's a place near me called Absolute Music they don't advertise fret band material, but I could ask about it.
http://www.blackdogmusic.co.uk/ShowCategoryvi.php?CategoryID=Fretwire-26
 

Dennarcher

Member
AIUK Saviour
Rik,


Yes its like a pencil sharpener blade, obviously and conveniently located for cutting the thread when required. Other servers might be improved by the addition of one. Seems to me that it saves groping around with one hand for a knife/scissors whilst holding things in place on the string being served with the other.

Dennarcher.
 

Dennarcher

Member
AIUK Saviour
Geoff,

You are priceless. Tried your routing idea and it works a treat! Tension is critical though, it needs a bit of fiddling with to get it right.

Carl7's point about the holes is valid, I will radius and burnish them before I give it back to my mate Martin.

I was joking about the guitar - I did say tongue in cheek! Thanks anyway, I already had the info via classical guitar forums etc.

Thanks to all who replied, much valued comment.

Regards,

Dennarcher.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Heehee, I wasn't sure about the guitar, I realised you were joking but wasn't sure to what extent.

Looking at the tool, I think most of the holes are decorative rather than part of the threading, apart from the middle one.
The problem with servers can be the way the thread peels off the spool. Some of the time it is from the centre and square on ,sometimes it is from the end of the spool and then the tension is at an angle. Even those that pass through one hole just to line up the thread before going through to the working end, have the same problems; the thread still has to pass through the extra hole from different angles.
I made one to reduce the tendency to drag at the ends of the spool. The only problem I have with it is the fact I have to wind the thread off the big spool onto a short one. If I wind on enough thread for one string; that is fine.
 
Top