Bolduc Block - Bit Size - Torque

[Farrell]

I am stringing a piano that I installed a new Bolduc quarter-sawn (more-or-less) hard-maple pinblock. I am using Ron Nossaman's two-bit drilling method. I started out with a final drill size of 0.25-inch (actually the drill bit that Pianotek sells specifically for the Bolduc blocks - it is actually about 0.247-inch). I was consistently getting an initial torque exceeding 200 in.-lbs. I tried a couple larger bits that produced similar results. I have drilled my latest holes with a final bit size of 0.263. I am getting an initial torque (right after pounding the pin to stringing height) of about 180 in.-lbs.

At 180 in.-lbs. I feel like I am at the upper limit of what I should be shooting for (beyond?). How much can I expect the torque to fall in the first month/year or so when things settle in? My guess is that I could go with an initial lower torque, but I am concerned that perhaps things are going to loosen up and I might be too loose if I use a larger bit (I'm already so much bigger that what is commonly recommended).

The block has been in my 8.5% MC-stable shop for more than six months.

This is only my third block that I am drilling. If I am going to error, I would rather error toward the upper limit. Both my others were about 200 in.-lbs. - YIKES! This is my piano - I don't want to have to tune with such a block - yet, loose pins do no one any good.

Thanks for any constructive input.
  
Terry Farrell