[pianotech] Replacing bass string and retaining the original tuningpins

[Paul McCloud]

Hi, Al:
	What I do is to use a coiler and crank with a dummy pin which has been cut
with a hacksaw.  My pin isn't shortened by cutting in half, since the
coiler indexes from the end of the pin.  I cut a slot in the pin so that
the becket hole is intersected with a 45 degree cut towards the tip of the
pin.  That way, the wire can escape from the becket without having to be
fully pried out of the becket hole.  I do have to pry it out partway, but
then it enters the slot so that I can remove the dummy pin by giving it a
twist as I remove it.  
	I'm sure others have their own dummy pin design, and they'll post it for
you.  
	Paul McCloud	
	San Diego


> [Original Message]
> From: AlliedPianoCraft <AlliedPianoCraft at hotmail.com>
> To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Date: 11/06/2008 4:26:48 AM
> Subject: [pianotech] Replacing bass string and retaining the original
tuningpins
>
>
> Hi All,
>
> I am replacing a set bass string and retaining the original tuning pins
so 
> that all the tuning pins look alike. The tuning pins are good and snug in 
> the pinblock.
>
> When I do one or two, I use an old tuning pin to make the coil. I then
pull 
> the becket out with a tool I made from a screwdriver and slide the coil
onto 
> the tuning pin in the piano. It would be time consuming doing it this way 
> for a whole set. I don't want to reinvent the wheel here, so here is my 
> question.
>
> I would like to alter a tuning pin to make the coil so that I can slide
it 
> out from the tuning pin rather than pulling the becket out from the hole.
I 
> thought about cutting off the bottom of the tuning pin, then cutting a
slot 
> down to the hole. I don't know if the wire would stay in place as I start
to 
> wind the coil. Has anyone made one of these? If so can you send a photo
or 
> describe how you did this.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Al Guecia 
>
>