pin driving fluid

[Carol R. Beigel]

I recall that pin driving fluid is THICK varnish (or shellac?). Leave the
lid off until it is the consistency of jello.  I seem to recall buying it in
very small bottles and about 2 ounces being enough for an entire pinblock.
You use a small paint brush and brush it inside the tuning pin holes in a
new pinblock.

Resin is ground up real fine, and dusted on the new tuning pins when
repinning an old pinblock.  Both of these methods I used in my rebuilding
days (about 14 years ago!) and they worked beautifully - prevented "jumping"
pins.

The main thing is to drill the new tuning pin holes slowly and cool the bit
with compressed air. It can take a couple of bits to do one block. Make sure
you use the proper size, shape and type drill bit and mic the new tuning
pins.  For old pinblocks, make sure the tuning pin holes are cleaned and
reamed so that fresh wood fibers, not old shellac contact the new pins.
Good preparation and careful workmanship often do better for the "feel" of
the new pins than just using resin or pin driving fluid.

Carol Beigel, RPT
Greenbelt, Maryland