restringing

[Elian Degen J.]

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List and friends
I sent this email privately to Less about how I do when restringing a =
piano,=20
suggested me to put it in the list, actually they were two mails and I =
made a single one which comprises the whole Idea.
I have been carrying this procedure in all pianos I restrung since I =
started working pianos. Originally I would hammer the new tuning pins as =
they came. Some years ago on a similar discussion someone suggested =
using a little varnish on the tip of the tuning pin. I have to thank the =
list for this Idea, it really worked and improved the job. I can feel =
the difference tuning. When you hammer the pin in the wood also produces =
high heat, I assume that varnish lubricates the pin and you can feel as =
it goes in easier, and afterwards you also notice the difference when =
tuning.=20

Les.

I have a technique that worked very well for me.

When restringing a piano, first I reduce the humidity level as much as I =
can
If wood gets overdried it will crack. So what I do is place three 15W =
Dampp Chaser style tubes distributed evenly
 in a Grand Piano below the pinblock or  inside an upright. I keep them =
five
days before starting the job and until I took all strings off.  and I do =
it
again before inserting the new pins. (Every time I remove strings and =
pins I
spend several days in before restringing checking, cleaning and =
refinishing
if needed,=20
 I found out that when I do that, and the wood dries, the hole opens up =
and the pins get very easy to
extract. To take them out I use  a " T" shaped  tuning lever=20

After observing wood behavior, once wood is dry enough  I extract tuning =
pins  turning
them out very slowly as to not overheat the holes, and with the T shaped
lever you have enough control not to flagpole.

 It is very important to check the pinblock thoroughly, look with
a light inside each hole, check for cracks in the walls, if a grand you =
can
check it from below ,  also here in Venezuela we have to ship the old =
bass
strings and wait for the new ones which sometimes takes a couple of =
month. meanwhile I
switch off the tubes and five days before restringing I switch them on
again. I do introduce the new pins hammering and I do use a tiny drop of =
lacquer on the
tip of the pin, that also keeps the pin slightly lubricated when =
hammered in,
You will find out that when the wood reaches back its normal humidity =
level,
they will stay tight.

I already have the feel of it, but there is a better way and safer. If =
you
have a closed room, and one of those dehumidifiers which extract the =
water
from the air (They look like a small refrigerator and water drops in a
container. You can use it in the room and measure humidity with a
hygrometer, I take it down up to 35% relative humidity keep it several =
days
in order to be sure the wood got to that point.

Note: I use the 42% percent standard rel. humidity because there is no =
place
in Venezuela below that. and if it is too humid I recommend them to use =
a
Dampp Chaser Climate Control System. but you should always take in =
account
the lowest relative humidity in your area. If you restring a piano on =
rainy
season (it happened to me in the beginning) without drying the wood and =
lets
say you have a rel. humidity of 65% when doing it, in summer when it =
goes
down to 45 or 48% you will have a warranty call. If you take all
precautions, still be sure to find out if your client has central =
heating
for winter or anything that will lower humidity in a given season below =
42%
and in that case warn him about it and take the appropriate measures, =
i.e. a Climate
Control System. there are many factors that can ruin the job once the =
piano
is at the customer house, and you have to make sure it will not turn =
against
you. I always issue the customer with a list asking him about the =
conditions
at the place where the piano is going to stay, I also inspect the place =
and
warn him about the best place to keep it and the best conditions. I =
check
for air drafts, Air Conditioning, windows where the sun might hit the
instrument not only in that moment but try to figure out any time of the
year and upon delivery I give him a printed form which I titled "How to =
take
care of your piano" were I consider all these points. Big Jobs translate =
in
big responsibilities and many customers tend to
make the piano technician responsible if he forgets to instruct them =
against
some conditions.

I followed the list and the idea of using an electric drill also is good =
as
long as the drill turns at a very low speed, low enough not to heat the =
wood
by friction, also the best is one of those drills on a stand so you can
place it in a way not to press to any side. Personally I prefer the T =
shaped
lever I can turn it real slow.

I did this job in many pianos, with no need to ream the hole, and it =
worked
fine. Normally I check the piano first, if pins are loose but they are =
all
even, and I take them out carefully,  I look in the holes if they are =
not
scorched, dirty (from oxidation). or "glazed" Most commonly you will =
find
the
wood looks glazed, even if you were careful enough to take the pins =
slowly
check holes, the glazing indicates high temperature and can produce =
jumpy
pins, Glazing can also be due to replacement of broken strings where the
tuner who performed the job unscrewed too fast.

I do not know the piano, but if the piano you are going to restring has
oxidation and it shows into the tuning pins, do not bother taking too =
many
precautions extracting, in that case you will need to ream anyway

If the piano is all uneven, wood is scorched or dirty, or flagpoled, =
then
cleaning or reaming is a must

Those are my 2cts worth

Take care

Elian




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