CA vs Epoxy for pinblocks

[Frank Cahill]

J Patrick Draine wrote:
> 
> The important thing to realize is that thin CA is useful when "doping" an
> old, fully strung piano. I only use a few drops at each pin. I have seen
> posts recommending soaking alot of CA into the pinblock. One of those posts
> mentioned an unintended result of CA dripping out onto the keybed or
> customer's floor. Excess is not the way to go. Thin CA is not a gap filler.
> When the piano is unstrung, with the tuning pins removed, epoxy can be used
> to 1) reinforce the pinholes (as Bill advocated) or 2) fill the holes
> completely, to be redrilled. In the latter process, thin epoxy soaks
> through the rest of the pinblock, stabilizing it. While the "proper"
> procedure would be to replace the pinblock, several technicians (Rob Stuart
> Vail, for one) have had success with this procedure. Some have advocated
> its use in restoring early instruments.
> I would be extremely leery of dripping thin epoxy into a fully strung piano
> (sheared tuning pins would be likely, in my opinion).
> Keep in mind that CA fumes are toxic, and CA is very bad on human skin.
> Epoxy is much less noxious.
> 
> Good luck,
> Patrick Draine


I have treated pianos with CA glue, heavy applications at that. I have
never sheared a tuning pin. The pianos are still being tuned after 4
years.
-- 

Frank Cahill
Associate Member, Piano Technicians Guild
Northern Va