[pianotech] tips, tuning pin ends

[Mark Schecter]

I think the whole fit problem pretty obviously goes back to an 
historical absence of standards in our industry. Machine tools such as 
drill presses and lathes for a century have had spindles made with 
precise, dependable tapers, to precisely, dependably fit tooling which 
had to be changed fast and frequently. Anybody who has changed a chuck 
has probably appreciated the ubiquitous implementation of standard Morse 
and Jacob tapers.

Unfortunately for us, it's too late to impose standards now, that bird 
has flown. I suppose tuning pin manufacturers _could_ decide to 
cooperate and define a standard taper for future tuning pins, but whose 
definition would prevail? But, hey, it would be nice ...

-Mark Schecter

Kent Swafford wrote:
> 
> On Mar 25, 2009, at 9:06 PM, David Nereson wrote:
> 
>> I would imagine the ends of tuning pins vary as much as the tips made 
>> to fit them.
> 
> 
> Of course you are correct to point out that the shapes of tuning pins 
> vary pin to pin.
> 
> As a practical matter, wouldn't it be easier to control the outside 
> shape of a tuning pin than to control the inside shape of a tuning tip? 
> I suspect tuning tips vary more than pins.
> 
> 
> 
> Kent
>