<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000"> Alan B, <<But why this trouble on such a newish piano, and a Baldwin block, to boot? Seems exceptional.>> Not sure, really, but I'm guessing a dull drill bit at the factory. Some pins are fine, others not. Where one pin is very loose, there are others in the immediate area, but not in all cases. I suppose I could always pull a pin and look in the block with my fiber optic flashlight thingee. But, most Baldwins don't have the problem of bad blocks, so I'm thinking QC is a more likely factor here - dull drill bit. (The problem started out with "jumpy" pins, and now they are more loose.) <> Aesthetic reasons...the pin is what came from the factory, and won't look different from its neighbors. I know this tuning pin is the right length/diameter, so I don't have to go out to the car to look through my jumbled up assortment of pins <g>, and swabbing with CA takes only 10 seconds or less. And it always works. Also, what was the story on the case that didn't work for you? Was there block damage? Did you pour the CA in liberally? Did you try a second application a couple of days after the first? Old upright (Chickering I think) that should have been burned, but oh well, it was 3 years ago and I was hungrier then..  :-)  Lots of CA...double application that day. Left telling the customer that it should work, but if it didn't hold the tuning to call, and I would reapply. Haven't heard anything, so I'm assuming I won't get a call for another 10 years unless a key doesn't work. So, nobody is concerned about CA not getting past the new bushings down in the hole? On an older Hamilton yesterday, I noticed what seems typical for a piano of some age: bushings dried out to the point that you see the wood drawn away from the pin at the top of the pin. Obviously, CA would wick down there. But on a new bushing that has no voids around the pin? Wouldn't that tend to fill any voids immediately around the bushing, but not get into the block enough? That concerned me, as I haven't done it in this situation, and I do like have my work be successful. The customers seem to like it, too, although I'm such a good guy, I don't why people wouldn't just give me money for nothing. :-) Thanks to all who responded. Just FYI, I'm quite familiar with the common CA treatment - this piano is different from the common in that it is new; hence, the questions. JF ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "John M. Formsma" <<a href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives">john at formsmapiano.com</a>> To: "Pianotech List" <<a href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives">pianotech at ptg.org</a>> Received: 10/31/2006 8:33:11 PM Subject: opinions on this CA job for loose tuning pins >List, >I've done several "CA jobs" to fix loose tuning pins. All have been on >older pianos where the pins were quite loose everywhere, and all but one >was successful. >This piano is a 1994 Baldwin Acrosonic. There are probably 30 or more >somewhat loose pins, with up to 10 needing definite attention, although >they are now tunable with a CyberHammer impact lever. But over the >years, they have definitely gotten looser, so it's now time to repair >the problem. >Does CA work well for this kind of thing? I'm thinking a fairly light >application so as not to return the pins to their former "Baldwin why >the heck do you make 'em so dang tight" state. What I'm also wondering >is will the CA get past these new pin bushings down into the hole? Or is >it just going to glob all over the bushing? >Ordinarily, I could just remove pins and swab the inside of the hole >with thick CA, but with there being so many and having to un-bend the >wire coming out the pin hole, it would be so much easier to tilt and do >some preventative maintenance...if it will work. >Of course, I want to be the most fair to the customer, and think that >the CA route is probably the best to try, considering that this seems to >be an endemic problem, and will eventually require treating all the >pins. However, having no experience on a piano this new, wanted to ask >if anyone has had similar experience. >Your thoughts? >Thanks, >John Formsma </body> </html>