Why piano tuning pin bushings?

[Ron Nossaman]

>Bushings transfer more tension to the plate.
>
>A Steinway without bushings  transfers more tension
>through the block to the rim and stretcher. Since the
>plate does not need to hold as much of the tension,
>it can be constructed lighter.
>
>I would not want to put bushings in a plate/rim
>assembly
>not built for it.
>
>Bolduc uses the question in his classes ,
>"What is heavier, a piano with tuning pin bushings or
>a piano without tuning pin bushings?"
>Much heavier with bushings.....
>all that extra iron for extra plate tension.
>
>                                Dave Renaud

It's a lovely theory, but bears no resemblance whatsoever to reality. What 
about all those Steinways out there with tuning pins riding the plate, 
which accounts for virtually all those Steinways out there? Sorry, does not 
compute.

Ron N