<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: [CAUT] Re: Steinway Damper sytem upgrade & redesign</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY>    Me, I retrofit using a brass &#8220= ;dowel” with pins on both ends. Dowel cut from 1/4” (or so) bras= s rod, pins are bridge pins driven into appropriate holes. Saves the trouble= of drilling a bigger hole through the keybed (I first did it when a custome= r freaked out at the thought of drilling a hole in her piano.     The wood dowel with punchings glued on each end wor= ks great, perhaps better than a pinned dowel. But to save time and effort, I= found going to a smaller diameter pitman and adding pins was quite adequate= for the purpose. Brass rather than wood because I didn’t trust the st= rength of smaller diameter wood. Regards, Fred Sturm University of New Mexico http://music.unm.edu/about/staff_members/fred_s_st= urm.php A mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled. <= BR> On 11/7/04 11:05 PM, "David Ilvedson" <ilvey@sbcglobal.net>= wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE> Also, I retro-fit pitmans all the time.  Why the pin in the dowel? &nb= sp;If you are drilling out a 3/4" by 1/4" deep hole in the tray an= d lever for the new pitman, the glued on punching isn't going anywhere....<B= R> David I. </BLOCKQUOTE> </BODY> </HTML>