<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> Tommy, If you remove the clamps before the glue even has time to harden, then it's appears that you aren't counting on the glue to do any of the work.  Why use it? I've done maybe a half dozen of these jobs, and none of them have failed, either.  I had no knowledge on what to do when I came across the first one, so I tried glue and pulled it together the best I could with large screws from the back.  No clamps.  It's still holding, but I'm not proud of that job. On one I did nothing more than fill the small crack with epoxy as was recommended by the service technician from the piano manufacturer for whom I was doing the warranty work.  That is holding, too, and since it was one of those verticals that has felt on top of the pinblock,  you would never know it was ever repaired (except that I never glued the felt on so I could keep an eye on it). For all others I do basically the same as you do, without letting down the tension, except I use epoxy instead of Titebond, larger diameter bolts, and I don't remove the clamps until a couple days later. Regards, Clyde Hollinger, RPT Lititz, PA, USA P.S.  I'll be going through Birmingham next week, but since I'll be on a chartered bus I won't be able to stop. Bigeartb@AOL.COM wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE>Stephen: The crack in the top of the Gulbransen sounds like a separated pin block. On more than one occassion I have repaired the separated pin block on many pianos....mainly Everett Studio pianos  without lowering the pitch from A-440. I fill the crack....many up to l/8" wide....with Titebond Yellow Glue.....protect the plate with oak strips....pull crack together with attatched "C" clamps....remove one screw at top of plate at a time....drill completely through the screw hole through back of instrument and replace with bolts ....3/16 X ? ...long enought to hold the plate, block and frame secure with lock nuts & washers....proceed to the next plate screw until all are secure....Remove "C" Clamps ONLY AFTER ALL BOLTS HAVE BEEN SECURED. I'm sure this is unorthodox to a number of qualified technicians but I've been repairing separated pin blocks for 25 years this way and as of this date.....not one...not one has ever failed in any shape, form, nor fashion. They all hold up t! o A-440 and It is not necessary to lower the pitch using this method. The grand piano  that has been in a fire....be very...very careful....maybe too much steam...smoke acidic....can get into a lot of trouble, Tommy Black Birmingham, Ala.</blockquote> </html>