Bridge Pin/Epoxy Question

[Farrell]

Hi List!

I am restringing my first piano. (yea!!!) Both bridges were in pretty good
shape (only a few supertiny hairline cracks in hi treble and low bass), no
bridge rolling, downbearing was distributed real nice, the uncracked
soundboard had a real smooth 1/8"+ crown, piano had no buzzes, and glue
joints appeared intact. Seemed to me like a great candidate for leaving the
bridges but simply replacing the slightly loose bridge pins (the fact that
the piano is a 1930s Aeolean 5' 0" grand kinda influenced my recommendation
to the owner also!).

My question is: What is the best way to get the epoxy into the bridge pin
hole. I have done the bass bridge and used West System epoxy applied with a
length of piano wire. I was able to make a minimal mess (just a little on
the top of the bridge at the hole edge upon application - easily wiped off
prior to pin insertion), but inserting the wire 3 to 5 times into each hole
to get enough epoxy in took me two hours to just do the bass bridge. I
watched Christian Bolduc position, install, measure downbearing, plane,
drill, notch, and pin a new bass and treble bridge in less time than it will
take me to epoxy my treble bridge (and his piano - an S&S model A3 - had
more strings!!!). I realize he has likely done one or two bridges before,
but I have quite a bit of experience with epoxy and woodworkng and feel I
was moving along at a reasonable pace for the task. Is there a better way? I
can get a big glob if epoxy on the wire - enough for one hole - but if I try
to get it into the hole, most of it would run down the side of the bridge.
Any ideas? Is it easier to just recap a bridge?

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com