an actual piano question

[Scott Thile]

Gorden Large writes:

>With all the talk about what this list should or shouldn't be, and the merits
>of testing, it seems like we're turning into the highway department: lots of
>talk, but few are doing anything.  The discussion on ivory has been the only
>"nuts & bolts" question of the past few days.  (like the one ->guy<- on the
>highway crew actually USING a shovel)

Back in California (where I lived for most of my life) the token woman on
the crew wielded the shovel, the guys stood around drinking coffee.

>So, even though this is probably not an advanced question for most of you,  I
>need to know about using tuning pin reamers.  I'm repinning yet another old
>upright, and this beauty has had about a dozen 3/0 pins put in over the
>years.  If I go to 4/0 pins, I should ream out the holes first to make them
>all uniform, but why would I use a reamer and not a drill bit for 4/0 pins.
> In the supply catalog (APSCO) they list a reamer for 4/0 at .285" but a
>drill bit for 4/0 is .281".  (As you can tell, I've never used a tuning pin
>reamer) Why are they different sizes?

I do not use oversize pins much anymore (I prefer a fresh block with 2/0
pins), but when I do,  I use a drill bit and follow the same basic
guidelines as drilling a new block as to feed rates, drill speed,  drill
temp. etc... Two places to really watch for, and not use a reamer, would be
in a block that previously had tapered pins, or when you plan to use longer
pins than the originals.

Scott
Scott E. Thile, RPT
Piano-Instrument Technician
Murray State University, Murray, KY
--------------------------------------------------------
Email:  sethile@msumusik.mursuky.edu
Phone: 502-762-4396