Small Bridge Pin Source

[Farrell]

> Terry: what sort of scale tensions are we talking about here?

I'm not a scaler yet. Can only handle so much new info at a time! The small
(0.068") pins are on notes #48 through #88. At #48 I have 0.040" wire with a
speaking length of 40.8 cm. At #58 I have 0.036" wire with a speaking length
of 23.4 cm. At #68 I have 0.034" wire with a speaking length of 12.6 cm. At
#78 I have 0.032" wire with a speaking length of 7.1 cm. And at #88 I have
0.031" wire with a speaking length of 4.9 cm.

What are these tensions? What is the formula that you use? (I've just never
looked into it yet - but it is time for me to start dabbling with this
stuff.) Are these tensions generally considered high, medium, low or other?

> and what's the stagger angle across the bridge?

Ain't about to drop the plate back on to answer this one, and I have already
planed the bridge top down, just removing most of the string scars (not that
that would tell me all I need to know), re-notched and dagged the tops. My
recollection is that the stagger is very small......just went out to shop to
give a quick looksee - stagger angle appears very small (aiming at the
appropriate plug from the bridge pin hole and guessing at the necessary
stagger to make it around the rear pin). Maybe only a few degrees at best in
places. Put that together with my recollection and overall I think I have
relatively little stagger across the bridge.

What do you usually shoot for? I recall Ron O. saying he likes what he gets
with a 20 degree pin inclination and a good 10 degree stagger angle. I
believe he was referring to his first piano - a modified Samick 225.

Fortunately, this piano is all for show and maybe a few Christmas carols!

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@KSCABLE.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2001 2:45 PM
Subject: Re: Small Bridge Pin Source


> >The last batch of #21's I ordered were brass with plating.  (from a
> >Japanese supplier)  I sent them back.  The supply house asked what was
> >wrong.  When I told them of pin failure due to the plating coming off.  I
> >was politely told I was being 'picky", and that it's the first they had
> >heard of problems.
>
> Aside from the fact that the next time they hear about it will be the
first
> time, just like the last time was, I doubt that the plating on Japanese
> center pins would be a problem if they were used as bridge pins. Brass is
> softer, and has a MOE half that of mild steel, so they might not be stiff
> enough for bridge pins. That was my concern. I'm not aware that I've ever
> seen steel flange center pins. Who used them?
>
> Terry: what sort of scale tensions are we talking about here, and what's
> the stagger angle across the bridge?
>
> Then again, you could go to McMaster-Carr and order stainless steel dowel
> pins of whatever length you want and either 1/16" (0.0625"), or 2mm
> (0.078") diameter and be the first kid on your block to repin a square
> piano bridge with stainless steel. I know that's strong enough.
>
> Ron N