Driving Tuning Pins

[Brenda Mamer]

Hi List,

If CA glue is used, then when needed  could the  piano  be repinned using the
original pinblock, or must the block be replaced? what about reaming and
repinning?

Anyone been there, done that?  Enquiring minds want to know.

                                        Thanks,
                                        Brenda Mamer,  RPT


Delwin D Fandrich wrote:

> David ilvedson wrote:
>
> > Driving the pins would be the first thing I'd do concerning loose
> > pins.  Try one and see if the torque goes up.
>
> -------------------------------------
>
> Well, maybe.  But then, I've never been a big fan of driving tuning pins down
> that last mm or two.
>
> Think about it.  The string leaves the pin about 2 mm or 3 mm above the plate
> surface.  That certainly limits the distance one can drive the pin.  The pin
> is so loose in the block that it will no longer resist the pull of the string
> and is unwinding just from the tension of the string.  Now we're going to
> pound the pin further into the block to tighten it up?  Just what is it we're
> trying to accomplish here?  We can't possibly pound the pin in any more than 1
> mm or 2 mm.  Any more than that and we're going to bury the string against the
> plate.  So, we have about NAMM or 2 mm of the bottom of the pin going into
> fresh wood.  The rest of the hole isn't going to change.  Now, once we've done
> all of our pounding we'll certainly have to tune the piano because we've
> pretty much knocked it out doing all of our pounding.  This, of course,
> immediately starts loosening that tiny little ring of friction interface that
> we created by driving the pin in.  Need I mention the fact that this tiny ring
> of friction is at the wrong end of the pin.  Not situation designed to give
> one really great confidence in the "repair."
>
> Now, I'm not really a fanatic about these new-fangled CA adhesives either.
> They really aren't a fix-all magic elixir.  But, this does seem to be a
> procedure that is gaining some acceptance by those practicing the procedure.
> And it's been done long enough to give at least some evidence that it does
> work for some reasonable length of time.  So, assuming that it does have at
> least some potential for prolonging the time -- one year?  five? -- before a
> complete restringing is required -- including a new pinblock, so we're not
> really causing any long-term damage to the piano -- this would seem to be the
> repair of first choice.  There seem to be fairly few drawbacks to the
> procedure.  At most you will lose some time -- although probably less than pin
> pounding will take -- and an ounce or two of fairly expensive liquid.  At best
> you will give the piano owners a few more years before major repairs are
> undertaken.  And, you will leave the tuning pins at, or at least very close
> to, their original height, thereby maintaining pretty much the original string
> geometry.
>
> Regards,
>
> Del