[pianotech] First Pinblock

[David Love]

I agree with this.  Drilling and securing some number of pinblock screws
during the flange mating process (before the mating material hardens) will
insure that you get the black back without any drift.  

I don't prefer to do the mating at final installation, as suggested in
another post, as I always find some cleanup to do and sometimes some squeeze
out  into the tuning pin area underneath the plate.  I prefer to clean that
up before I actually drill the holes for the tuning pins rather than risk
some squeeze out into a freshly drilled hole.     

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Jon Page
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2013 4:23 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] First Pinblock

 > ...the block should be fit as if you weren't using epoxy...
 >>Why? I'm not suggesting that it not a good thing to get it close,...

Epoxy should not be a sidestep to proper workmanship. It is making a good
fit better. I don't apply the epoxy until the last procedure. First the
block is fitted by chalk rubbings with better than 75% mated. Then the block
is clamped in place and all the screw holes drilled and screws installed.
The block is removed, a bead of Epoxy is placed on the flange edge and the
block clamped back into position and every other screw reinstalled. Now that
the block is locked in position, the tuning pin holes are center punched and
the block indexing holes drilled (for fitting the block to the case).

Once the epoxy has cured, remove the block, place your pattern on the
indexing holes, draw your lines and trim on a bandsaw (I fine-trim the front
edge with a jointer), fit block to case. Proceeding from here depends on
your tuning pin drilling method, I use a drill press.

That's the way I do it. Drilling and installing all screws secures the
location and insures against block drift.

--
Regards,

Jon Page