<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <DIV>In a message dated 7/31/2006 7:37:38 PM Pacific Daylight Time, jkanter@rollingball.com writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>I will need to examine the pin block to determine tuning pin size. (Can I measure a hole nondestructively, i.e. without pounding a pin into it?)</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Jason,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Basket case pianos pose special problems for the rebuilder, as much valuable information is lost. Some of it can be reconstructed or re-engineered, but it isn't easy. If I'm not the one to destring a piano, I won't string it without a new pinblock. Too many unknowns. Every time I try to save the client money in this kind of situation, I wind up wishing I'd been more hard-headed. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">If you really have to string this block, you might use a 2/0 pin (or maybe a 1/0) as a sort of gauge. If it was originally strung with 2's, the pin will probably go in about half an inch without any pressure. If all the holes feel the same, you might be able to get by with boring for a larger size. I haven't had much luck with the spoon bit type reamers - I'd rather use a drill. This will cut a new, untapered hole. Problem is, the drill to use (probably one of the letter sizes) depends on the hardness of the block. You'll want to have more than one pin size on hand, and go up two sizes.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Also, since you don't know how long the original pins were, or how deep they were driven, you need to make sure your oversize pins don't go deep enough to hit the little shelf in the hole where the old pins stopped. Either use shorter pins or don't drive them too deep. You don't want the pin to be tightest at the bottom</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Happy detective work,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Bob Davis</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>