Pinblock Separation Questions

[Michael Spalding]

Rick,

It's a matter of degree.  You should lower the pitch / tension enough so
that the piano will not go above A440 when you pull the gap together.  How
much you drop pitch depends on how much the pinblock has spread.   Dropping
tension completely, so that coil tightness and string spacing have to be
re-established, is a waste of time.  Also, if you use epoxy to fill the
crack, it can fill the holes behind the pins, so that when you try to bring
the piano up to pitch the pins bottom out on the epoxy after about a
quarter turn.  DAMHIK.

Mike

> [Original Message]
> From: <richard.ucci@att.net>
> To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 10/3/2003 7:53:18 AM
> Subject: Re: Pinblock Separation Questions
>
> What if the piano is already a full tone down? Does the tension still
need to 
> be lowered?
>
> Rick Ucci/Ucci Piano
> > In a message dated 10/2/2003 2:18:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> > mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes:
> > 
> > > I just looked at a late 1980s Baldwin studio, serial #1417324, style
#4023 
> > > (model number?), with a pinblock separating from the back assembly
(about a 
> > > quarter-inch separation). The piano has 3 backposts, but the back
assembly is 
> > > covered with veneers. Does anyone know if the backposts on these
pianos 
> > > extend to the top of the back assembly (top of back assembly also
covered with 
> > > veneers - yes, I will be able to tell when I yank these veneers off -
but was 
> > > curious before I get into it). Any knowledge of this Del? The three
top plate 
> > > screws are centered over the three post centerlines, so I suspect
they may 
> > > extend up to the top.
> > >   
> > > The couple times I have done this repair has been with older
instruments 
> > > where the backposts did extent to the top - and of course I
through-bolted 
> > > through them. If, by chance, this is a piano - like some Kimballs -
where the 
>
> > > backposts terminate at the base of the top back assembly (about at
the 
> > pinblock 
> > > bottom), has anyone done this type of repair on that design? I see no
evidence 
> > > that the rear portion of the upper back assembly has moved - appears
that 
> > > only the pinblock has moved, so I suppose it would be just fine to
epoxy and 
> > > through-bolt to the back of this design. Anyone aware of any pitfalls
I might 
> > > not be seeing here?
> > >   
> > > Also, any non-bionic technician willing to share how many hours they
have 
> > > taken to do a repair like this - start to finish, not including pitch 
> > > adjustments and tuning (just clamping, drilling, bonding, bolting and 
> > cleanup)?
> > > 
> > 
> > I've done many pianos like this. Mostly they've not been Baldwins,
however I 
> > just finished my 4th Baldwin in 4 months. I figure about 4-5 hours
total. I 
> > usually take around 1-2 hours to loosen the tension, glue, clamp and
bolt the 
> > thing back together. The second day is typically something from 2-3
hours to 
> > bring back the tension, tighten up the coils, and properly space the
strings. 
> > The 
> > last one I did was a spinet with the veneer on the top. Since the
veneer was 
> > not cooperative in coming off, I found a sheet of brown name-board felt
to 
> > cover the top. Saved a lot of time messing around with matching veneer!
> > 
> > Good luck!!
> > 
> > will wickham
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