curing loose t-pins w/sandpaper

[Farrell]

Hello Clyde. I do exactly what Kevin does with the one exception that I use regular old Norton aluminum oxide 120 grit sandpaper. I'm sure the cloth-backed paper works just fine also. I'm not sure how important the backing is because I would think that any backing would get pulverized quickly anyway. Once the grit particles are imbedded into the sides of the pin hole I don't think they are going anywhere anywho!

Pick a grit and pound in the first one. See how it feels. If it is too tight, for the next pin that had a similar torque, either use something less than a full wrap, and/or use a finer grit. If you need more tightness, use a more coarse grit. Works like a charm.

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kevin E. Ramsey" <kevin.e.ramsey@cox.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 3:37 PM
Subject: Re: curing loose t-pins w/sandpaper


Clyde, yes, I have done this successfully more than a few times.

    I use a cloth-backed sandpaper for longevity. It's important to cut it so that it's just under the circumference of the pin. I roll the cloth around a pin to start the curve, then I roll it a little tighter and place it in the tuning pin hole so that the open side is pointing away from the string. Get it to open up by rolling something like a Phillips head screwdriver in the hole, and leave just a little paper above the pinblock, so that you don't just push the paper through when you put in the pin.  I like to pound the pin in just to get it started, and then turn it the rest of the way by hand. 
    When I was learning to tune, I had an old junker Steinway that I got to learn on. The pin block was so shot that I had to do a whole lot of this kind of thing just to be able to tune it.  You can imagine what kind of a work-out those tuning pins got, and they felt good and never wore out.
Kevin
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Clyde Hollinger 
  To: pianotech@ptg.org 
  Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 12:24 PM
  Subject: curing loose t-pins w/sandpaper


  Friends,

  I service an old upright with several very loose low bass tuning pins.
  Two of them won't even hold a pitch.  I tried epoxy on them, but that
  didn't work.  I'd like to try sandpaper in the holes.

  For those who have done this successfully, what type of sandpaper and
  what grit do you use?  Can I just drive the tuning pin in the hole after
  fitting a sandpaper shim, or should the pin be turned in?  I'd like to
  give this a try on Monday.  Thank you.

  Sincerely,
  Clyde Hollinger, RPT
  Lititz, PA

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