Plate Hitch Pins

[PIANOBIZ@aol.com]

Newton,

Thank you for getting some information from a technical source to help our
discussion along.  The use of a nail is not being recommended to replace
plated pins on expensive grand pianos.  Nor is it being suggested that you go
to a box and pull out a nail and pound it into a plate.  The proper use of
the material that happens to be formed into the shape of a nail is what is
being suggested.

To Anyone Else Still Struggling Along With This Topic,

This dialogue is of particular importance to those of us who are rescaling
and frequently adding hitch pins to compensate for inadequate scale designs.
We routinely add fine wound bass string bichords in place of previous plain
wire unisons at the tenor break.  Adding two, three or even four additional
hitch pins is required for the very poorly( 5 foot and under) scaled pianos.
   What is being sold as a hitch pin in catalogs presently, and correct me if
I'm wrong, is a case hardened little slug about a half inch long.  This is
not very forgiving material, in many ways. 1. Trying to drill a precision
hole for it with a hand drill.  2. Getting a good, tight compression fit.
  3. Getting the proper angle because you can't peen it over.  4. Too short
in relation to existing hitchpins.  Please understand, the harder the
material used as a hitch pin, the more likely a problem will develop with
either proper fit and/or cracking of the plate.  If you are a factory-no
problem, just get another!

Since the subject needs further instruction as to how,  I thought I would
post our method, somewhat in detail.

This application is appropriate for any plate which has the more traditional
style hitch pin, which includes most pianos.  The pin of choice for our shop
is the material, found in the form and shape of a 16 penny nail.  (not a 20
penny nail as I had earlier posted).

First we cut the 16p nail to a proper length, so that it will match the
neighboring hitch  pins in length, plus the plate depth.  (Once this cut has
been made we have successfully removed the hitch pin from the nail).  It is
now a baby hitch pin.
We chuck that baby into the drill press and round both ends with a file.  The
end that is going into the plate we give a slight taper to using the file.
 This acts to seat/wedge the pin into the hole.  We drill a hole into the
plate several thousandths less than the nail and tap the nail into the hole
lightly to see how it is seating. Repeat tapering, as needed, the newly
formed hitch pin until it fits well into the hole and give it a final seating
blow when confident that it is down into the hole properly. Peen the top over
to match the neighbors.  (This method was developed in house by our rebuilder
David Hagberg.)

You see what started out a 16 penny nail is no longer a nail.  It is a mild
steel hitch pin of equivilent quality and installation to the original
manufacturer's product.

David Sanderson
Littleton, MA
Pianobiz@aol.com