Pin Block Torque

[Farrell]

Hello Piano People. I am drilling my first real pinblock (don't ask what
that means). The material is standard supply house hard maple multilaminate
(I think about 9 to 12 ply or so). Pins are size 2/0, and mic out @ 0.2865
inches. Drill size is 0.271 inches. This combination is giving me between 90
and 100 inch-pounds of torque on the pins when driven into the bare,
uninstalled pinblock, to their final installed height (the amount of pin
that will be in block when block is installed in plate). This is also after
one full turn of the torque wrench (simulating taking up tension on new
string).

I have two questions. Will I find the torque different when I have
everything in piano - a turn or two on pins when installing new strings
(ultimately decreasing torque) - and after plate bushings are installed
(this plate is a full 1/2 -inch thick) (ultimately increasing torque). Do
these two cancel out, or what does one normally experience in differences
between torque testing in the bare pinblock and after final installation?
And the second question is: waddaya think of the 90 to 100 inch-pounds of
torque. I know this is great for tuning, but do I want more - like maybe up
to 150 - just for longevity? This is a cheap little grand that will be tuned
in the future at most once a year .......etc. Thanks for good input.  :-)

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com