Securing bridge pins with epoxy: was Pinblock Plugs

[David Love]

Roger:

On most restringing jobs I now repin the bridge and secure the new pins with 
the West System epoxy.  In fact, I usually sand the string grooves out of 
the bridge and renotch as well.  I think the termination is greatly improved 
by both having a pin without string cuts and by securing it with the epoxy.  
The tonal benefit was so evident after the first time I did it that I 
decided to make it a more standard procedure.

By the way, thank you (and also Jon Page) for the drawings of the hammer 
tapering jig for hammers with shanks.

David Love


>From: jolly roger <baldyam@sk.sympatico.ca>
>Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
>To: pianotech@ptg.org
>Subject: Re: Pinblock Plugs
>Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 10:12:43 -0600
>
>At 07:05 AM 3/13/01 -0500, you wrote:
> >The epoxy I have used, and I believe what Roger Jolly uses, is West 
>System
> >epoxy - and the entire philosophy of its engineering is to bond wood. It 
>was
> >originally designed for cold molding wooden boats together. West System
> >becomes one with the wood.
>
>Hi Terry,
>               You are correct, I use either West System, or Another brand
>Cold Cure. And have had excellent results with both.
>I have made effective repairs with smaller sized plugs,  than the 1/2" on
>some pianos that have small plate holes.  Drilled the block to size of a #6
>tuningpin. turned a plug on the lathe, to suit, redrill for a #2 pin.
>And all worked fine.
>I have have found there  is quite a bit of wicking type action with the
>West system  product.
>
>When using it for bridge pins, it is common to see the some of the glue
>sqeezing up the side of an adjacent pin. If there is any cavity in the
>material it will find and seal it.
>On many of our major jobs we change bridge pins and lightly swab the holes
>with epoxy, the bridge pins may look secure, but it is always suprising to
>watch how the  when inserting the pin the epoxy bubbles in an adjacent
>hole.   This treatment really reduces the number of false strings.
>Before destringing, we carefully listen to individual strings, move the
>string out of the V bar cup and seat at the bridge.  this will help to
>determine weather to change the pins and swab the holes.
>I think this teatment may reduce the effect of humidity swings on the pins
>and holes, but I have no evidence to prove this. Just a gut feel. <G>
>
>I do know solid termination is a must for optimum power and sustain.
>
>Any one else tried this?
>
>Roger
>

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