[pianotech] Familiarity - hinge pins

[David Nereson]

    I had a similar thing happen a few years ago.  When I 
arrived at the home, the lid was already up on the grand piano. 
I tuned it, then upon leaving, tried to lower the lid, whereupon 
it promptly slipped off, twisted one hinge and slammed onto my 
finger which was between it and the rim.  One hinge pin was 
missing, but the interlocking tabs of the hinge miraculously had 
held the lid in place.  Until I went and closed the lid, that 
is.  Finger took three months to recover.  Yes, months -- it was 
a heavy lid.  I was lucky it didn't break the bone.
    Since then, I always check hinge pins first on each and 
every grand.  Just last week, I noticed both pins missing on a 
mid-sized grand at a high school.  Kids think it's cute to steal 
them, or they will just because they can.
    On the same subject, why doesn't Schaff stock hinge pins 
that fit real pianos.  Many Asian makes have pins that measure 
.185" (big), but they don't stock them.  I've ordered all their 
sizes, and if I'm not mistaken, none of them fit Steinways, and 
I have to order from Steinway.  I've asked Schaff, but they 
never respond.
    On a similar subject, kids also steal the fallboard knobs. 
I don't replace them any more because I know they'll just 
disappear.  One janitor bolted a swivel foot from a classroom 
chair onto the fallboard and that actually worked, even if it's 
not aesthetically pleasing.  Any other solutions, other than a 
knotted rope through the hole?  (This is junior high band rooms, 
now -- not the living room).
    --David Nereson, RPT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mr. Mac's" <tune-repair at allegiance.tv>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 04, 2010 10:53 AM
Subject: [pianotech] Familiarity - hinge pins


Dear List,

An incident happened today I felt worthy of sharing.

A harpsichord that I have tuned at a minimum of twice a year for 
easily 30+ years was, once again, tuned by me again this morning 
for a special event.

Lo and behold, someone had removed all four (4) of the hinge 
pins. Never before has this ever happened.

Needless to say, I was quite surprised to watch AND listen (in 
somewhat anguish) the lid slide off the instrument into the 
conductor's stand ... into the platform ... onto the floor. The 
Fine Arts Secretary, who happened to be in the auditorium at the 
time says, "Are you okay?" To wit I replied, "Yes. Someone 
removed the hinge pins. Do you know where they are?"

"No" was her reply. Looking everywhere I could suspect they 
might be, they were nowhere to be found.

Moral:
Don't become familiar with your work. Check every single time 
before lifting a lid on any instrument to verify there are, in 
fact, hinge pins inserted in the hinges, and defer a similar 
experience.

Sincerely,

Keith McGavern, RPT