Pin Dope

[PIANOBIZ@aol.com]

>Try thin viscosity Hot stuff
>Robert S. Bussell RPT

Interesting... I wondered if anyone else had tried this.  We have had good
success with it also.  I think it has an advantage over the traditional pin
dope in that it doesn't change the wood into an oily secondary material.
 Doesn't Garfield's have glycerin in it?

The super glue, being very thin, actually travels down the capillaries of the
wood and then hardens.  Try it on a piece of scrap pinblock sometime.  The
stuff travels incredibly. When it hardens, it seizes the pin,(which adds
tuning stability) but that bond can be easily broken and tuning is pretty
much the same after that.  I usually put it in after the tuning and walk
away.  No second and third visit.  The glue acts to prevents slippage by
grabbing the pin, by filling small cracks as it travels down the wood's
capillaries, and by replacing the air in the dry wood with a solid.  It has a
very positive effect.  Additional applications are possible and thicker
viscosities can be used to fill bigger problems.

Speaking of which, I  worry that the Kawai that Don Rose talked about may
have suffered some separated laminations of the pinblock...and what will Pin
Dope or even oversized pins do for that?  Super glue does offer some, albeit
limited, ability to help with this problem.

Personally, I was surprised to read that any of you recommend pin dope,  (my
mother always said, "Why do you think they call it dope?) and have had
success with it.  I hadn't had success but I guess I wasn't diligent enough
after reading how those of you with success have used it.

The same precautions are warranted with the super glue obviously, i.e.
removing the action and placing newspaper underneath to catch a spill.  The
stuff runs everywhere...be careful!!  If you tip the bottle over get out of
the house, you're finished!

David Sanderson
Littleton, MA
Pianobiz@aol.com