Removing Plate

[Mike Masters]

Pianotoone@aol.com wrote:
> 
> I am doing major work on a small grand (new strings, pins, hammers, dampers,
> keytops).  I don't do refinishing.  The owner, who is an accomplished do-it-
> yourselfer including finishing, wants to remove the plate inorder to refinish
> it (spraying gold) and the soundboard.  I know the pinblock is attached to the
> plate.  If the owner removes the pinblock screws, will the pinblock stay in
> the piano when the plate is pulled.  Should I advise him against doing this.
> I have never replaced a pinblock or soundboard, so the answer is out of my
> knowledge.
> 
> Thanks to group, again, for your help.
> 
> Dick Day

Dick,
	In my experience the pinblock does not come out of the piano period 
unless you are replacing it. That is just the way the piano is designed.
It is glued to the rim. You may very well end up causing some unneeded 
and unnecessary repairs (like pinblock replacement) if you dont take all 
of the screws out of the plate (all of them). 
	Whenever I get into internal rebuilding, when removing the hardware. I 
have always used a cardboard box with a drawn in picture of the rim. 
then as i remove the plate hardware it goes directly onto the box in a 
corresponding location of where it was located in the piano.
	The source I always used from my learning experiences was the Reblitz 
book. If you don't have it you should. there is a short section on 
removing the plate in the rebuilding section. Check it out.
	Also when the plate comes out. either make sure he has a couple of big 
guys with no brains or some sort of hoist (preferably the latter). 
They're a bear!
	Also, agree with Newton on marking the plate to soundboard and pinblock 
alignment.

Mike Masters
Masters Piano Service
Lakewood, OH