Pinblock too low

[Mike and Jane Spalding]

List,

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.  Your brainstorming, on all the possible reasons for the pinblock to be where the dropscrews wanted to be, gave me a thorough checklist with which to re-examine the piano when I (darn it all anyway) got the job.

Glides were not too high, but did need to be re-bedded.  Downbearing was where I would expect to see it on a new piano, about 1.5 degrees.  Concluded that the problem was a combination of thicker than original pinblock stock, and slightly lowered plate.

Sold the job on the basis of "emergency first aid", to allow the piano owner time to determine:
  - If she is serious enough about continuing piano lessons to invest more in her instrument.
 -  If she likes this particular instrument enough to invest in the complete rebuild that it needs, as opposed to just selling/ trading it on a better one.

Ended up cutting off the tops of the drop screws, then re-slotting them.  Performed both operations with Dremel fine cut-off wheel, less than one hour total.  Next time (if there ever is one) I'll lay a drop cloth over the keys and hammers to keep the little screw-ends from falling down into the works.  Also shaped and coved tails, corrected the regulation, and did a little voicing.  

As far as "Hero points" vs "Goat points", the jury is still out.

Mike Spalding, RPT

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <BobDavis88@aol.com>
To: <mjbkspal@execpc.com>
Sent: Friday, September 13, 2002 11:51 AM
Subject: Re: Pinblock too low


> Mike Spalding writes:
> 
> > Then I pulled the action, which did not slide out easily, and saw the 
> pinblock 
> > hanging 1/4" below the stretcher, and the furrows ploughed (plowed?) by the 
> > drop screws.
> 
> Mike,
> 
> Others have mentioned that the shims might have been left off the shoulders. 
> There are other possibilities, most of them bad. Did the other guy use 
> pinblock stock that was too thick and just channel over the shoulders to 
> obtain the right plate height, leaving the rest of the block hanging down? 
> Did he use the right thickness block and channel down only at the shoulders 
> in an attempt to "lower the plate" to get more downbearing? Are the hammers 
> the wrong bore (too short)? By the way, are the drop screws already backed 
> out quite a bit? That might indicate a bore problem. Check the difference 
> between the string plane and the height of the shank centers, and compare 
> w/the bore.
> 
> On the positive side, I like bolstering the knuckles. Think of it as forcing 
> the wippen down, away from the drop screw. For the same reason, take a look 
> at the leather cushion the drop screw bears against, to see if it's extra 
> thick. Maybe you can use a thinner one. That would allow the repetition lever 
> to rise a little higher (or the drop screw to chase the cushion down). 
> 
> I would not take this on unless my detective nature was certain that I 
> understood his thinking AND the original design completely, and maybe not 
> even then. Once you undertake to solve the problem, you assume a certain 
> amount of liability, and if you are using emergency methods instead of 
> following the original design, there is a strong chance you will not be 
> solving ALL of the problems he created. If the client is willing to pursue 
> the rebuilder legally, you might want to consult with another qualified 
> technician, with whom you could share your findings, and who could act as a 
> second opinion. If you use stopgap methods, make sure that it is customer 
> driven and that they sign off (literally) on the possibility of 
> cost/performance compromises.
> 
> Remember that where Hero Points reside, Goat Points also lurk.
> 
> Good luck,
> Bob Davis
> 
>