[pianotech] Scary Experience

[Will Truitt]

Hi Dale:

 

I agree with everything you say.  Definitely good advice.  I would add only
that it is my custom in rebuilding to install plate bushings whenever
possible if a piano lacks them - I'll ream out the tuning pin hole and
install the modern narrower plate bushings.  I certainly do this on every
Mason and Hamlin I rebuild that does not originally have bushings, as the
plate is often pretty thick and it gives more support to the pin, as well as
eliminates the possibility of the pin binding against the plate.   It adds
only about an hour to the rebuilding process, and makes your life or someone
else's life as the tuner easier.

 

Will Truitt

 

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of erwinspiano at aol.com
Sent: Sunday, December 07, 2008 10:50 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Scary Experience

 

  Hi Will...All
   Which is a good lesson to all of us for a careful plate flange to block
fit when installing a new block or restringing an old one. Three things will
help eliminate the  annoying pin leaning against the plate syndrome. 
    1. is slightly reaming out each flange hole in the plate.
    2.  is carefully marking & drilling of the tuning pin holes &
    3. , which virtually eliminates the possibility of the pin leaning is to
epoxy fit your block to the plate flange.
     Yes I once moaned out loud on list to Farrel & Nossaman that the epoxy
thing was over kill, yada, yada yada...but I was wrong. After I employed
this epoxy fit routine there was no more creeping etc. & the pitch of the
piano stabilized from the very first 2 chippings. Religiously following the
above protocol has eliminated any block creep & pin lean in our shop. Prior
to this we were very careful of our plate fit but this made it a bullet
proof fit.
  Epoxy treatment of existing blocks is also doable. Remove the plate &
spray the bottom of it with a mold release agent. Mix the epoxy with a West
systems 404 filler till it is like peanut butter & swipe it on the block
flange only. I set a sheet of wax paper over the entire block face to
prevent any contamination  & install the plate over this using about half
the screws to set the fit to the block.
  Dale

Will wrote
  and unfortunately Baldwin was not always careful in fitting the block to
the plate flange.  The net result is that you will often see tuning pins
binding against the front of that plate hole, and lots of binding friction
between the pin and the plate.  Jumpy, snappy, hard to control tuning pins
are the result; along with a  tuner muttering, cursing, and gnashing teeth.


 

The best thing to do in this situation is to accept that suffering is part
of the human condition, and try not to wail out loud every time you run into
one of these.  

 

Will Truitt

 

 

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