Steinway "pinning" dilemma

[A440A@aol.com]

I wrote: 
<< >    I pin these pianos to be right on from the get-go.  
> Usually 5 swings is a 
> central aim, but I will let them go 7 if the weather is dry.  

Don asks: 
>>Ed, I find swings to be a very vague spec.  Is this in the center, bass
or treble part of the piano? >>

   "Vague" seems to apply to more and more of my life!   
   (After any reaming,  I swing hammers around a couple of times, pretty 
firmly, before checking tension). 
I check by swings,and the acceptable numbers vary with hammer weight.  Like 
others, I will compensate for extreme humidity conditions and expected use.  

Overall thoughts on it:
    The smaller hammers have so little mass, that the increase in friction to 
weight results in less swings.  Usually, in  the bass section I make sure 
that 6 swings is my optimum, but will accept 5 or 7,  by the middle I want them 
all at 5 but will accept 4 or 6.  In the treble, I usually allow 3 or 4 at most 
for the smaller hammers. 
  On new Steinways that have tightened up, I pin for a little looser, like 
optimum 7 in the bass, 6 in the middle, 5 swings for the last two octaves or so. 
 
   I know that this is not as "precise" as using a separate gram gauge, but  
"Feel" for the pianist follows lots of smaller "feels" for the tech, and 
pinning is one thing I just do by feel with swinging for checking.  I compare both 
bushings by feel, and ultimately assemble the part when both feel the same and 
the cumulative resistance is in bounds.  What small degree I might omit in 
consistancy is, I think, made up for by durability.  I think this durability is 
due to evenness in reaming.    I have had pretty good results with this 
procedure in a variety of situations.  
    Regards, 

Ed Foote RPT 
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
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