coils/pins

[Paul S. Larudee]

james turner wrote:
> 
> 1)  Should the wire stick out of the becket at all or be flush with the
> pin?  I notice daily that many quality pianos have the strings coming
> out of the beckets and this was done in the factory.  If this practice
> is wrong and the string should be flush in the tuning pin, then why do
> so many piano companies do this?

The wire should be flush with the pin.  I'm not sure what you mean by
quality pianos, but Steinway, Bechstein, Boesendorfer, Yamaha, Kawai,
Baldwin, Chickering..... are not included in this group.  If you mean
Wurlitzer, Lester, etc., they did it because it was cheaper (read
faster) as a manufacturing technique.
> 
> I use the Sciortino Insta Coiler which also causes the string to extend
> out of the tuning pin hole ( unless I am using it incorrectly).  Is
> there another tool for making coils some of you find superior to the
> Sciortino tool?
> 
I use neither an InstaCoiler nor a tuning crank nor a pin punch.  My
only tool to make the coils and drive the pin is a pin setter (APSCO
#16077).  I use it like a crank to make the coils, then put it directly
in the hole and drive it.  Saves time, less chance of releasing the
tension on the coils.  You might wish to bend the shank to make it more
like a crank, if you want.

> 2) I was taught to make sure all the pins are at the same height by
> using a cardboard jig or taping a hammer shank on the tuning pin punch
> and pound the pin in until the hammer shank hits the plate.  I would set
> the hammer shank so the first pin has about 3/16" from the bottom of the
> coil to the plate.  I believe this is the method Art Reblitz recommends.
> Is there a better way to do this?

It's aesthetically nice if the ppins are all at the same height, but
it's more important functionally for the coils to be at the same height
above the pin block.  Should be close to but not more than 3/16" at full
pitch; 3mm is perfect.  Easiest way is to eyeball it, and if the coils
are uniform, there will be an almost imperceptible tapering in pin
height from bass to treble.  Alternatively, you can increase the winding
lengths to compensate for string diameter.
> 
> 3)  If the bottom of the coil to the plate is more important then the
> height, then how do you set this with each pin?  Is there another type
> of jig available? It looks kind of odd to see tuning pins at different
> heights for the sake of preserving the coil to plate height.  Reblitz
> says it should be about 3/l6" when the strings are up the pitch. Do most
> of you agree on this 3/l6" figure?

See above.
> 
> 4)  Someone suggested using only two coils on the single bass pins
> instead of three.  Is this a technique most technicians agree upon?

See above.

Paul S. Larudee, RPT
Richmond, CA