[pianotech] Repinning questions - input needed

Chuck Behm behmpiano at gmail.com
Sat Jun 20 20:38:43 MDT 2009


Hello, everyone. I'm currently writing an instructional article concerning
repinning uprights. I would very much like to include information about
common practices involving several specific aspects of the job. If you
yourself upon occasion repin an upright, it would extremely helpful if you
could e-mail to me personally answers to five specific questions. I will
compile the answers and post the results. I would prefer you answer me
directly, so that people who do things differently from the majority, aren't
disinclined to answer.

So, here's the situation -You are dealing with an upright with extremely
loose pins, all original factory size 2/0, with no oversize pins, no
evidence of pin-tightening solution being applied in the past, and no
evidents of cracks in the pinblock (lines of pins with even lower torque
than the rest.) The options have been explored and the decision has been
made to repin, but not to restring or install new pinblock panels.

Here are the 5 factors I'm interested in:
1. What size of pin do you drive in - a 3/0, a 4/0 or even higher?
2. Do you ream the hole out before driving the new pins, clean the hole out
with a brush or other device, or leave the hole alone?
3. If you ream the holes, do you use a reamer, or a tuning pin drill? What
size?
4. Do you coat the pins with any substance, such as powdered rosin, varnish
or something else, or do you leave the pins alone?
4. Do you wear a glove or gloves when you are repinning? Do you put baby
powder or any other substance on your hands to keep them dry?
5. What brand of pins do you ordinarily prefer to use? Is your preference
for blued or nickle plated?
If you have any comments as to the reason for any partcular preference,
please feel free to include that.

Obviously, the more technicians who are willing to share their input, the
more meaningful the results. I'll compile the data for several days, to give
everyone who wishes to respond a chance to do so, then I will post the
results. I won't include your name, unless you wish to have me quote you on
an opinion, and give me permission to identify you by name in reference to
the quote.

I have my own procedures that I've used for years in repinning, but in
writing the article I'm working on, I would very much like to present the
range of techniques used by other technicians.

Thanks in advance for your help. Please send your preferences for the above
set of 5 questions to behmpiano at gmail.com. Chuck Behm
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