Pin Block Treatment

[Jim]

To all on the list:

I know what Sy Z. is talking about.  In Arizona it is very dry most of the
year.  When pianos move here from humid climates, we just expect to have
loose tuning pins usually within a year or two.  Pinblock restorer is a way
of life here.  My son Jim Jr. has a solution he sells which you can use and
immediately tune the piano.  You'll have to talk to him about it.  I know
it works.  He won't even tell me what's in it.

The block no more turns to mush than the mush you find imbedded in a brand
new pin which you remove from a new piano.  Now, if you have a split block
that's a different story.  When Jim first started changing blocks, he
was accused of wanting to change every block he came across.  Now,
some of those same technicians who were then accusing him, are now
themselves putting in new soundboards like he was putting in new blocks. It
is just a matter of perspective and where you are in your skills.

A good way to apply pinblock restorer on a grand is to turn it upside down
and treat the bottom of the pin holes.  Do this on a padded sturdy workbench
with the keybed hanging over the edge.  This leaves no stain on the top
(unless you have bad splits - and then you do need a new block) and there is
no rust on the strings.  Your competitors also will not accuse you of sub-
standard work (they'll never know).  I'm not approving shoddy work, but over
50 years experience says "this works."

While we are talking about pinblock restorer, it makes great pin driving
fluid.  If you fit the pins too tightly to start with, you may not be able
to turn them afterwards before they break.  Do some tests first.

Jim Coleman, Sr.