Xylol for tuning pin bushings

[RicB]

I've wondered sometimes if it might be possible to simply remove the 
webbing of the plate and create an open face pinblock. Plate bushings 
have always seemed to me to be more trouble then they are worth. They 
effectively shorten the amount of tuning pin that can be put into the 
block by what... 10 mm or so ?, provide little or no support 
themselves... couldnt hold a pin even slightly tighter themselves then 
if they were not present... and tend to loosen and break when a pin is 
backed off sometimes even 1 turn for string replacement.  Big pain in 
the pattooty iyam.

I suppose tho.. if you bored out the plate bushing holes to say 12 mm 
and were able  by way of some super duper glue attach delignite plugs to 
the block in such a manner that the combined efforts of the glue and 
plate bushing holes could actually keep them there and provide for some 
semblance of a kind of pinblock extension... they might do some good.  
But I doubt seriously in the end you'd end up with anything more then 
regular bushings that do just what they otherwise do.

Open face pinblocks always seem stronger, more stable and easier to tune 
then any other solution to me.  Your mileage probably varies... :)

Cheers
RicB

    Terry writes:

    Or, if you want to use bushings, why not just cut a bunch of
    appropriate
    diameter plugs to length (hey, maybe even cut them out of Delignit),
    ream
    plate if needed, tap bushings in (maybe a drop of glue on the
    bottom?) and
    drill them out with the same motion when drilling the pinblock. I've
    not
    ever done it that way, but I've wondered about it. Any thoughts?

    How does Yamaha do theirs - my understanding is that they do it
    differently
    than most rebuilders - they must do something akin to what I've
    described.

    Interesting.