Jerry Lambuth wrote: >> Got a Beale (Australia, ca 1929) with an ALL-Iron tuning system. The pins are tapered and ste in the plate from the back, held in place by set screws. The owners say you have to loosen the set screw (in the back) to tune (in the front). The pins are #1 and very soft. I already bent one as my only #1 head is 2.5 in long. Are these things tuned with a T-handle? Is it a 2-man job (one on each side)? << Jerry, A one man (sorry ladies, person) job. With age the pins rust into the taper. Remove the grub screw, which is used to set the tension of the tuning pin in the taper, put some WD40 into the pin wherever possible without splashing it everywhere, and tap the pin from the front toward the back to break the rust bond. This should loosen the pin (and lose all tension on the string) . Get a thin film of lubricant into the pin to avoid a repeat of the rust problem in future and set the pin tension with the grub screw. Pull to tension and tune as normal. Replacement pins are available in Australia. Regards, John Email: Woodroj@syvax.email.dupont.com Telephone: 61-2-99236103 Fax: 61-2-99236099
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