Les and List. Now that I need some vital info, I probably have to humbly appoligize and kya for past perceived and real snydeasisms, inflametory remarks, and caustic comments. Do I hear a few crying "Baloney"? Ah at least I didn't make it into your kill files. ... Oh that did it ?? I came upon a "loose pinblock" where all of the bottom pins are loose and the top two rows are tight. Well at least the 20 or so I tested. The pins are far enough in so they shouldn't be driven. This is in an upright, an old Adam Schaff. Its too far gone, SB, esp for rebuilding, unless the case really is Rosewood. I can't see the laminations I want to look at, so I am wondering If removing a loose pin and borrowing a otoscope might shed some light on a hidden problem. Anyone come across this problem and found what caused it? Remeber the top pins are so tight it would never cross your mind to consider tightner, but the bottom pins, its like they are in a different block. If I were replacing the block I could saw it apart. Perhaps those of you who have replaced pinblocks for this reason did a post mortem? It will get Garfields. But I have never put Garfields on just one row. The top pins are so tight I am fearful of getting them too tight. Probably try a few and see what happens. The piano is in a home so I don't have that much time to experiment. And speaking of experiments, there are no bushings, and at last was temped to try CA. I never considered CA after hearing of it, because I thought, "Oh it will just wick into the bushings and never get down where it belongs. Also I am fearful of producing jumping pins. There has been some written on CA and tuning pins, if the authors have it still at hand and could email it, I sure would appreciate. I would look in the archives, but I have limited time from my ISP and will have to budget that for next month. Thanks for every thing Richard Moody > From: Les Smith <lessmith@buffnet.net> > To: pianotech@byu.edu > Subject: Re: Loose pinblock > Date: Monday, April 14, 1997 1:57 PM > > Don't set the pins first and then use the PBR. Although > a lot has been writtn recently about the use of CA glue, the pins in > your piano sound so loose that I think you might be better off using > Garfield's Pinblock Restorer, applied with a hypo-oiler. use hypo-oiler should be in bold caps rm >If the pins > are really loose and you don't have to contend with plate bushings, > you can make the first treatment full-strength--that is without dilut- > ing the Garfield's 50/50 with alcohol as is usually done. If the piano > does have plate bushings around the tuning pins, putting a small hole > in them on the *keyboard* side of the bushing will often aid absorption > into the pinblock. My concern about CA >Make sure you remove the action BEFORE doping the > block. Even in an upright. You will want to do some chipping to see how it holds rm. Ever try to remove an action when the piano is on its back?? rm >If you think Garfield's works well on tuning pins, just wait > till you can see how it can tighten up action centers! :) Supposidly works on loose B check wires and CR pins, worth checking out. rm >Initially, > go over the pinblock at least twice with the Garfield's, or until the > pinblock won't absorb any more. Give it a week to do its stuff. If the > pins are still somewhat loose, give it another treatment and wait another > week. Sometimes multiple applications are required, but Garfields has > withstood the test of time and many technicians swear by it. Ignoring the directions for a second treatment is probably why there are those who say it doesn't work. rm > pins feel tight enough, you can go through and set the pins a little > deeper into the block as extra insurance. Well they can't be too close... rm >Do this with the action OUT > of the piano and use a pinblock support jack under the block as you are > pounding the pins in. If you don't, your pounding may cause the block > to delaminate or separate, especially in older pianos. I've seen pianos > where the action couldn't be removed because some bozo technician had > started pounding on tuning pins without supporting the block, and the > lower laminations were sitting on the hammer flanges. Don't let this > happen to you! > Before attempting any repair on this instrument, I suggest that you re- > move the action and inspect the pinblock VERY CAREFULLY. You mentioned > that it appeared as if another technician had already attempted to set > some of the pins. It's possible that the pinblock may already be damaged > beyond any hope of repair, if he chose to pound in those pins without > supporting the pinblock first. So check it out thoroughly for damage > BEFORE attempting any repair. If your use of PBR and setting the pins > fails to correct the loose pin problem, and you later discover that the > pinblock is, indeed, delaminated due to the pounding of the previous > technician, the owner may decide that YOU are to blame and not he! This is why I tell the ower that tuning pin treatment is a diagonistic repair. If it fails then you know the pin block was ruined. If it works, its like heart surgery, who knows for how long? .. Tilting the piano to its back and applying Garfields takes what, 20 min, 40 min if you are also visiting? What are the alternatives? It takes longer to explain them than doing the treatment. rm >So > check out that PB thorougly, before attempting any repair. In other > words, CYA! > > Good luck! > > Les Smith > lessmith@buffnet.net > > > > > > > On Mon, 14 Apr 1997, BILL &PAT HOPKINS wrote: > > > > > I tuned a piano recently that had loose tuning pins. In the upper treble I > > noticed someone had "banged" the tuning pins further into the pinblock. > > Should the same be done to the remainder of the piano. This piano has > > sentimental value to the customer and are willing to try anything. > > I also tried to set a few bass tuning pins into the pinblock. They went in > > awfully easy. Is pin dope an option? > > Would it be beneficial to just trying setting the pins deeper into the > > pinblock and then dope it up? Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks > > > > >
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