[pianotech] Blocks

[Ron Nossaman]

On 10/23/2012 7:23 AM, Jim Ialeggio wrote:
> Ron,
>
> What's the rationale for the tight pinning you shoot for on these
> blocks.  If I remember correctly from previous discussions, you end up
> with about a 175in/lb initial torque, using 6.8 mm final pass and Denro
> 2/0 blued pins on your equipment. Is this initial tightness a safety
> factor?

It wasn't planned. it was the result of taking what I was doing with a 
Delignit block to the hybrid. I'm only drilling 0.0143" under a 0.282" 
pin. My block is 95.5% rotary cut multilam, and anyone will tell you 
it's not possible to drill that block 0.014" undersize and not leave the 
pins too loose. Dale said he's drilling 0.243", which is 0.010" smaller 
than I'm using, with a thinner cap. I'd expect it to work that way. With 
only 0.014" to play with, where do I go to please some tech other than 
myself? You tell me.

Whatever the initial torque, they settle around 150 pretty quickly and 
stay there. It's still tight, but I don't mind tight because these 
blocks are more controllable, even in the high treble, than ANYTHING 
I've ever tuned, including Yamahas. Frankly, I see no reason to get anal 
about it when what I'm doing works fine for me.


> What kind of initial torque drop do you and others who are using these
> blocks experience?

You know mine, the others will have to speak for themselves.
Ron N