broken tuning pin

[Ron & Lorene Shiflet]

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    Well, I did it.  15 years in the business and I finally broke my =
first tuning pin...um... I mean the pin broke.  I was restringing the =
bass on an old upright from...well, lets just say it's a family =
heirloom.    The pins were so loose that I used new pins.  I'm unsure of =
the size, they were in an old bag laying around.  More than likely  I =
went  from a #2 to a #4, but the holes were loose, at least those that =
the owner didn't duct tape the pins in with.  Anyway, this one pin went =
in really tight.  (I think it was duct taped)  I drove it in and when I =
went to tighten it and get my coils right, the new pin snapped off at =
the becket hole.  There is about 1/4 inch of pin sitting above the =
plate.  I am familiar with 2 methods of dealing with this. =20
  1.. Drill into the pin and use a broken screw extractor.
  2.. Carefully measure from the backside, drill into the back of the =
piano, and drive the pin on through the back of the piano.
I opted for method #1.  The pin drilled pretty easy.  It actually =
surprised me.  The metal was softer than I anticipated.  Unfortunately =
the tuning pin was so tight that the threads on the screw extractor =
started to strip.  I then decided to file the sides of the pin so that I =
could just grab it with my tuning hammer.  Well....it still isn't =
budging.  As for method #2, I don't measure that close and I really =
don't want to leave a hole in the back of the piano. =20

Since the pin drilled easier than expected, I suppose I could just drill =
it out, plug the hole with hardwood, then redrill it.  I would imagine =
that this would be less visible.  Any ideas gang?=20
 =20
thanks in advance.

Ron Shiflet

PS, just to give you an idea of the vintage of this piano, it has no =
capstans or bridge pins.  (I'm also wishing it didn't have tuning pins.) =
 The strings terminate over a brass bar/pressure bar system on the =
bridge so it has no bridge pins.  As for capstans, it uses a wooden =
lever that raises up and down by a screw system.  Well anyway....

=20
     =20

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