CA with coils driven to the plate

[pbmosley]

Byron, I have several of these that i have done.   I will usually try to tune almost anything, the problem with a lot of these is that the coils were tapped right on the plate and you sure hate to pull them after they have set in pin tight for 20 years.  I take my 1/4 driver that I use to install dampp-chasers, pull the action, get a three pound hammer and turn it sideways, put the driver in the pinblock from underneath and give a good whack. The pins will drive out fairly easily, the coil is off of the plate, the CA will work, and you will feel a lot better about tuning a coil that is up.  In a half an hour you can pound out the entire piano, and it is easier to do them all than piecemill.  The process is quick with really nothing to lose and you can save some pianos that would probably just be discarded without it.
Phil 





I have a customer with a John Brinsmead & Son 5'6"? grand, circa 1910 or so.
The piano is not great but has been maintained reasonably. The customer is
not a player but likes the way it looks in her house and would like it to be
able to hold a tune. She, of course, wants to do this as cheaply as
possible. The pinblock is shot and evidently has been so for over 20 years.
Someone treated it with "Pin Tite" over 20 years ago. I've searched through
the archives and have found a bit of encouraging posts about CA being
somewhat effective on "Pin Tite" treated pinblocks.

 

However, the problem I see is that the pins have been driven in so the coil
sits right on the plate. There are also those felt bushings between the coil
and the plate but they are quite crusty and with a little bit of work they
can be removed. The pinblock is quite thick so the tuning pin holes do not
go all of the way through so it can't be treated from below. There appears
to be a tiny bit of "daylight" between the coil and the plate at the front
of the pin and it seems possible that I could get a smallish syringe needle
in the gap to treat with CA. 

 

My question is, has anyone ever had a similar situation where they had such
a tight access to treat the pinblock? If so, how successful were you and
what potential pitfalls are there?

 

Thanks,

 

Byron Quam

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