A new technique for easing tight tuning pins

[Billbrpt@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 11/25/99 8:04:58 PM Pacific Standard Time, Roger writes:

<< The glue ended up making it feel quite normal, in both directions.
 Makes one wonder what's happening inside that hole?
 Roger >>
 
It is my understanding that the glue wicks in to fill the gaps in the wood 
that are causing the pin to be loose.  It fills the void with solid material 
that provides the same kind of friction that the wood is supposed to.  It is 
really amazing stuff when used in just the right way.

I did not have time to respond to the earlier tuning pin thread but I did 
have one important thing to say about it.  Many times, particularly with 
common, American made verticals, the reason the pins get loose is that they 
were never driven in to the proper depth by the manufacturer.

Those who say that driving the pin further will only get a very small amount 
of new material are correct of course.  But in the case where the pins are 
really high and loose, I think it makes a lot of sense to drive the pins to 
their proper depth and maybe just a bit further AND apply CA glue.  The CA 
glue will wick in and fill the voids at the top of the hole where the high 
pin has worn it irregularly.  The rest of the pin will be in new material 
where there will be plenty of friction.

I have had good results many times doing only pin driving and only using CA 
glue.  But whenever I have done the combination of the two, on a piano with 
very high pins, the results were always the most firm, regular feel that you 
could expect from brand new material.

I did make a mistake once however doing this.  A customer had a fairly new 
Yamaha G1 (or GH1) but it was out of warranty.  The pins were loose but the 
rest of the piano was in great shape.  The strings were all still new 
looking.  I told him that it should be repinned and what the cost would be.  
He asked me if there was any alternative.  I told him about the CA glue 
treatment and driving the pins.

He opted for the latter.  I should have made it much easier on myself and 
simply doped the pins with CA. In that Yamaha piano, driving the pins only 
made the ends of them poke out through the bottom of the pinblock.  There was 
nothing at all gained by driving the pins.  I only upset the tuning 
unnecessarily.

I hope this adds to the discussion about CA glue treatment of pinblocks.  I 
think Rob's discovery is top notch.  He went about his experiment in a 
properly scientific way.  This is a rarely needed treatment but it can and 
does happen.  In my desire to have firm tuning pin torque, I have over done 
my work at least a few times and I am sure that others have had the same 
experience.  Rob's quest for a remedy seems right on target.  When you have a 
problem like this, the time it takes to solve it using his idea and tool does 
not seem out of proportion at all.

I had a great Thanksgiving Day.  I cooked a fresh hen turkey with pork 
sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes and mushroom & giblet gravy from the 
turkey, broccoli with cheese sauce (home made with Wisconsin cheese) and 
candied yams with marshmellos and walnuts. Pumkin pie and whipped cream for 
dessert.  (Cholesterol and saturated fat through the roof, I know, but it's a 
holiday).  I had my son and several close friends as guests.  The piano was 
played, fine wine was drunk and many songs were sung.  It couldn't have been 
better.

Peace to all.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin