> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf > Of Rob McCall > Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2009 7:16 PM > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Subject: Re: [pianotech] Oversized tuning pins > > So, from my original post can I get a couple of second opinions as to the > best way to deal with the current situation? > > David, says zap'em and smoke'em. Marcel recommended a drop of Protek > (CLP?) at the base of each pin. Hi Rob, Although I respect Marcel, and I am sure that his application of Protek worked for him, I would not recommend it in this instance. If you try it, and if the pinblock *ever* fails, you may well be held responsible. I'm certainly not in a position to know, but the block may have been failing prior to its repinning and restringing. In the process of repinning, pins that were quite possibly too large were driven into holes in the old and possibly failing block. Though these are now too tight and jumpy, a crack could very easily open up in one or more laminations of the pinblock at any time, leaving a whole row or rows of pins too loose. You, having put lubricant on a part of the piano that has as its primary job holding the pins sufficiently tight with sufficient friction, may get or at least share the blame if this happens (even if the restringing, and not the Protek, is truly the culprit). Once you start to treat a problem, the client may well perceive that you "own" that problem, and any repercussions or future issues that arise related to that problem may fall upon your shoulders (whether fair or not). I would suggest two possible courses of action: 1) Though you may not want to hear it, make the commitment to tune the piano excellently as it is. While you are working on it, instead of cursing, remind yourself that if you can tune this piano well, you can tune practically anything. Remind yourself how much your skills are improving by taking on and conquering this challenge. Remind yourself that some of the grizzled veterans on this list could probably tune it without too much trouble, and aim to be one of them someday (the eventual degree of grizzling will be yours to decide, of course - you may continue to shave and groom fastidiously into your dotage if you so desire). The next day, instead of being annoyed by your sore shoulder, notice how easy the Lester spinet you are tuning seems by comparison. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Annoying advice, I know. 2) Although all of the pins seem to be too tight and jumpy, they are probably not uniformly so. Surely, a handful will be even more problematic than the rest. If you really can't seem to tune those pins adequately, mark them with chalk, or a tiny dab of whiteout. The next time you come to tune the piano, try those pins first. If they are no better, then try one of these two earlier suggestions for those pins only: yank them back and forth vigorously for a prolonged period of time (my first choice), or try David Doremus' suggestion to back the pin out partially, remove the coil, drill, pound, etc. Then tune. Either of these activities is limited, targeted, reasonably quick (since you are only doing a handful of pins) and fairly traditional. Especially if you just yank them around, you are not likely to be perceived as treating the pinblock and "owning" the problem; it's just part of your next tuning. If you do back them out and pound them in again, do pull the action and use a pinblock support jack. If you just yank them around, bring a longer or extension hammer for more leverage, start with a big "down" move (of course), do your best to keep your movements rotational as opposed to flagpoling (remember that tuning pis do sometimes snap off; it is my guess, and guess only, that this is more due to flagpoling than to rotational movements), and re-dress the coils afterward as necessary. Sometimes, with very tight pins, I will put my "pounding" hand on the top of the tuning head/tip, and rotate around that point with my "tuning" hand. Both hands on the lever (one at either end) helps me to ensure and control a rotational movement. Of course, this is only for coarse moves as suggested in this paragraph - you can't really tune effectively without keeping you "pounding" hand on the keys. I have a feeling that this is not going to be what you want to hear, but it's what I would do. I don't see an easy and safe solution. I must confess that my first reaction upon reading your original post was "I bet I could tune that piano." Not that I'd really want to. My second thought was "I bet some of the most experienced folks on the list and in the PTG could tune it better and faster than I could." Unfortunately, excessively tight and jumpy pins are not that uncommon in restrung pianos with old blocks. Good luck with it, Joe DeFazio Pittsburgh -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20091202/8732defb/attachment.htm>
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