Hi Ed, I can't speak to drilling a pinblock in a piano, but I've done a number of them out of the piano. I will fit the pinblock to the plate first. Then when all the filing, rasping, and sanding is all done and it fits well, I will clamp it into the plate just like it will go, and put in the screws that hold the pinblock. (No tuning pin holes yet.) Then I put the whole assembly into the piano case, and do whatever fitting needs done there, (it'll vary depending upon just what all you are doing). Next, I take a sharp pencil and mark the tuning pin holes. It's a bit redundant, but I also take a center punch and mark each tuning pin hole with that too. (You only think it's redundant until you only do the pencil marks, and miss one hole.) Next, I take the whole thing apart again, and drill out the pinblock. On the table of the drill press, I have a plank that I bolt on that's about the same length as a pinblock, and underneath another block cut to about a 7 degree angle, so that the whole thing leans in toward the drill press by whatever angle I set. Usually, I end up putting a couple of flat washers under the inside so it's not quite 7 degrees. Most of the time, I find that I like a 4 or 5 degree angle better. (Just a personal preference.) I would imagine that using a radial drill press with a mobile base would make it an easier job if I had to do it in the piano. They usually have a long enough reach on them that they'll clear the keybed. But perhaps there would be other tools that could work better. I think I've seen little miniature drill presses that would probably sit right on the pinblock and hold a hand drill. That might be a better way. A resourceful person might just be able to design such an animal?!... Just my two cents. Good luck, Brian Trout Quarryville, Pa. btrout@desupernet.net -----Original Message----- From: ETomlinCF3@AOL.COM <ETomlinCF3@AOL.COM> To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org> Date: Saturday, July 24, 1999 2:37 PM Subject: Pinblock question >List, > >I know most are at the convention, but I am about to replace my first >pinblock. I have a few questions. How do I drill out the holes in the >block? What drill press do I need to buy to plunge that low? I know it >needs to be modified to allow a 7 degree angle but how do I get it to work? >In the back of the Journal there are a few people who sell videos and "how >to" books on this topic. Who has the best info on the subject? I don't want >a disaster the first time out. > >Any help would be appreciated. > >Ed >
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