Pinblock question

[Brian Trout]

Hi Ed,

I can't speak to drilling a pinblock in a piano, but I've done a number of
them out of the piano.

I will fit the pinblock to the plate first.  Then when all the filing,
rasping, and sanding is all done and it fits well, I will clamp it into the
plate just like it will go, and put in the screws that hold the pinblock.
(No tuning pin holes yet.)  Then I put the whole assembly into the piano
case, and do whatever fitting needs done there, (it'll vary depending upon
just what all you are doing).  Next, I take a sharp pencil and mark the
tuning pin holes.  It's a bit redundant, but I also take a center punch and
mark each tuning pin hole with that too. (You only think it's redundant
until you only do the pencil marks, and miss one hole.)  Next, I take the
whole thing apart again, and drill out the pinblock.  On the table of the
drill press, I have a plank that I bolt on that's about the same length as a
pinblock, and underneath another block cut to about a 7 degree angle, so
that the whole thing leans in toward the drill press by whatever angle I
set.  Usually, I end up putting a couple of flat washers under the inside so
it's not quite 7 degrees.  Most of the time, I find that I like a 4 or 5
degree angle better.  (Just a personal preference.)

I would imagine that using a radial drill press with a mobile base would
make it an easier job if I had to do it in the piano.  They usually have a
long enough reach on them that they'll clear the keybed.  But perhaps there
would be other tools that could work better.   I think I've seen little
miniature drill presses that would probably sit right on the pinblock and
hold a hand drill.  That might be a better way.  A resourceful person might
just be able to design such an animal?!...

Just my two cents.

Good luck,

Brian Trout
Quarryville, Pa.
btrout@desupernet.net

-----Original Message-----
From: ETomlinCF3@AOL.COM <ETomlinCF3@AOL.COM>
To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Saturday, July 24, 1999 2:37 PM
Subject: Pinblock question


>List,
>
>I know most are at the convention, but I am about to replace my first
>pinblock.  I have a few questions.  How do I drill out the holes in the
>block?  What drill press do I need to buy to plunge that low?  I know it
>needs to be modified to allow a 7 degree angle but how do I get it to work?
>In the back of the Journal there are a few people who sell videos and "how
>to" books on this topic.  Who has the best info on the subject?  I don't
want
>a disaster the first time out.
>
>Any help would be appreciated.
>
>Ed
>