bass string space problem

[Wippen@aol.com]

Gordon,
I have plugged pinblocks twice in the last five years. One job was completely
satisfactory but the other began to fail about two years later and had to be
brought back in and done over. That was a serious drag.

On both pianos (both uprights) I used Falconwood plugs(1/2") and dried them
to their practical minimum in a 120 degree oven. The piano cases were also in
dry area.  Holes were drilled out with a 1/2" bit(every other one) then
plugged using a good grade epoxy. After the epoxy had set the remainder of
the T.P.holes were drilled out and plugged.

As I said, about two years later I began noticing pins being noticably looser
than others. The condition worstened. Being under warranty, I apprised the
customer of the situation and brought the piano *back*to the shop for another
try.

Upon tear-down, I found that the pins were still excellently tight in the
plugs but the plugs were loose in *their*holes. The holes had become enlarged
during the winter months.You could fit a needle in between the plug and old
pinblock material

This time I replaced the entire pinblock.

I will not plug a block in this fashion again. Frankly, it took at least as
much time to plug the entire block as it did to replace it.

Of course, I still will plug isolated pin holes in a situation where the
customer won't or can't go for the proper repair. I have never had any
problems. However, the security of a whole new pinblock appeals to me more
than 250 or so plugs.

Paul Dempsey
Marshall University
wippen@aol.com