Tuning pin tightners

[Nichols]

At 11:49 PM 5/12/2003 +1000, you wrote:
>After being applied to a plank, what is the condition of the wood. Is it
>going to be able to be repinned or plugged at a latter stage, or is this
>application going to destroy the wrest plank so that it has to be replaced.

Kerry,
    My Dad started me with Garfields 30 years ago. "Destroyed" is not a 
term that applies in any sense. There is actually very little penetration, 
except on the top laminate and directly next to the pin. Plugging can 
happen quite successfully afterward, if needed. Oversize pins can be used, 
also. If anything, in my dry climate, it makes the block (plank) MORE 
amenable to further repairs, if needed. There have been low-budget pianos 
that we doped 20 years ago that are still holding, and others that accepted 
a second treatment with good results. I'm with Ric on this one... there are 
goops that don't work well, and may in fact cause problems in the future, 
but not Garfields. Not when correctly applied. As far as the plank needing 
to be replaced..... well..... so what? If it works, you won't have to..... 
if it doesn't..... you would have had to replace it anyway! 95% of the 
time, I achieve 100% (230pins) success. The rest of the time, there may be 
up to 10 or 20 pins that need replacement with oversized pins after the 
treatment. Still more economical than replacement. A thinned-down version 
can be used to "even-up" a block that has jumpy and slippy pins, also.
         Procedurally, I use Garfields cut 50% with denatured alcohol. I 
use a standard hypo oiler, full, and make two or three passes over the 
entire block, with repeats in the low tenor and bass. I leave uprights on 
their back for at least 24 hours, and don't tune for two weeks.
         Since CA stinks to high heaven, and doesn't work real well when 
the ambient RH is under 20%, I much prefer Garfields.

>The only time I would consider using any of these applications is when the
>piano is not worth doing anything to it, and the customer has been given the
>complete picture.

Uh....Der.

>Kerry Cooper
>Australia


Regards,
Guy Nichols, RPT
Ft. Stinkin' Desert

ONCE AGAIN..... survivors of my classes in Dallas will leave the room with 
a little treat. Be in it, or be spinet. (Be there, or be square)


>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Richard Moody" <remoody@midstatesd.net>
>To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Sent: Monday, May 12, 2003 4:19 PM
>Subject: Tuning pin tightners
>
>
> >
> >
> > >
> > > What you need to do is order a bottle of "Garfields Pinblock
> > Destroyer" or
> > > "Pin-Loose" ....
> > >
> > > The Phantom Haranger
> > > Salem, MO
> >
> > "Hold on thar,  pilgrim"   You won't disparage my favorite pin
> > block restorer without getting feedback from this public advocate
> > at least.  The parroting of detrimental effects of tuning pin
> > tightner shows  an ignorance of what is really happening when one
> > applies GARFIELDS, or unwillingness to hear about decades of
> > satisfactory results from professional use of Garfields.
> >     Part of the problem is there are a few brands of "TP
> > tightners" that don't work, or don't work nearly as well as
> > GARFIELDS.  Whether they are "pinblock destroyers" or not I can't
> > truthfully say.   I have never seen a pin block "destroyed" by
> > anything but oil, or booze, (grand pianos in bars) but even those
> > I have gotten favorable results from GARFIELDS.
> >     Now in anticipation of the most recent spate of favorite "pin
> > block doping" solutions, I still stand by Garfields over the use
> > of CA.   Don't get me wrong, I am not disparaging CA, I like it
> > actually for the one or two or three or up to a dozen loose pins.
> > That you don't have to tip the upright is another advantage. But
> > for over all looseness or sections of looseness nothing compares
> > to GARFIELDS except LUDENS, which because it costs twice as much I
> > only use when GARFIELDS fails and that has only been once and only
> > on two pins and that was a bar piano with a truly boozed block.
> >     Even if all others ("dopes") have failed you can still use
> > GARFIELDS!!.  I just did this on a studio piano  in a school that
> > I have tuned for 3 years.  The T pins showed a goop around them
> > and dripping down to the upper bearing.  Well this spring the pins
> > were too loose, so the poor Meisner got tipped over and doused
> > with GARFIELDS.  Now this is the worst case I have ever treated
> > so if GARFIELDS failed  on this one I will humbly submit such a
> > report.  But only 3  days after applying, it was up and tuned.
> > That was three weeks ago, I will see it next week and report the
> > results and offer digital photos.  The pin block truly looks like
> > a mess.    ==-rm
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
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