HI Bill M.
David's methods are similar to what we do as well. I'll second the no. 7 pins all the way to the top of the treble caps. It is a stronger pin and isn't as flexible. We find many bridges pinned with 7's already.
New caps we use an epoxu called rot doctor. We brush it liberlally on the bridge tops letting it run into the holes. It's a penetreting epoxy so ti case hardens the top. Smells crappy. Let it dry overnight and then spray a couple coats of lacquer. Looks fantastic. It does not require redrilling as it is thin and runny.
David Ilvedsen: You asked? Yamaha,Kawasi and others have put out bridges for more than a couple decades with non- filed pins. In our work we used to grind them off routinely. I think Bill is correct that using coarse paper on a belt sander at full speed and moving quickly keeps the heat down. I've checked it and its only just mildly warm. Filing...again quickly with a fine file isn't in my opinion all that stressful and it dresses the pins nicely.
We have been using the German bridge pins which seem to be harder steel by comparison tot eh coppered pins and more difficult to bend over...hey, but on some days I have a nack for bending anything...LOL anyway we just drill the holes a bit deeper than they need to be and drive everything to equal heights. What's important to me is a nice tight pin especially at the top of the pin for many reasons I'm sure you know. Make sense?
Dale
Although I have "gone up" in bridge pin size when re pinning on some occasions, I have usually done so in the tenor and/or bass. I am interested to learn that you do it in the high treble as well. I haven't, out of concern about the rather slender bits of wood between the bridge pin holes up there. As an example, the S&S B in the shop at the moment has #6 bridge pins in the treble (.076), and the "lands" between them average only about .074 (you can barely fit a #6 bridge pin between less than half of the pin pairs). Going up to #7 (.086) would leave only about .064 of wood between the holes.
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