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<P>I'm curious about two topics:</P>
<P>1. Under what conditions do you see umpty-ump (200+) plugs inserted and drilled as a better fix than oversized pins?</P>
<P>2. How many old uprights do you see that are really worth this much time, trouble, and money? Seems like my customers just bail out when it gets too pricey. I've done a couple of restrings/new hammer/new felts/regulation kinds of rebuilds, but in most cases, anything over $700 or $800 and they consider other options. Even some premium brands (Crown, Steinway, Knabe, ...) die or sit barely playable rather than being rebuilt. I certainly can't imagine rebuilding any upright as a spec piano and hoping to make a profit ... got to be an heirloom or family treasure to have that kind of value, or so it seems to me.</P>
<P><BR>Alan Barnard<BR>Salem, MO<BR>Joshua 24:15<BR><BR><BR><BR></P>
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Original message<BR>From: "Dean May" <DEANMAY@PIANOREBUILDERS.COM><BR>To: "Pianotech List" <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG><BR>Received: 12/12/2006 9:23:35 PM<BR>Subject: pin block drill press<BR><BR>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=953433722-12122006><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi all,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=953433722-12122006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=953433722-12122006><FONT face=Arial size=2>some time back I was asked to post pictures of my set up for drilling pin blocks. I had a machine shop make a solid round bar the same diameter as my drill press column. I then welded the column to a steel plate which I screwed to a piece of birch plywood. This gives a little sled that I can put the drill press head on and scoot it around a table I have set up</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=953433722-12122006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=953433722-12122006><FONT face=Arial size=2>The table is just a double pin block blank. I have anti-gravity pads underneath it to float it over the piano. ;-) On a grand I just lay it across the sides of the piano, usually with a couple of bar clamps to secure it. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=953433722-12122006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=953433722-12122006><FONT face=Arial size=2>When drilling I have one of my sons stand off to the side to hold the vacuum hose. These does double duty of keeping the chips out of the way and it keeps the drill bit cool. My bits never get dull. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=953433722-12122006><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=953433722-12122006><FONT face=Arial size=2>Last picture is the finished product- 1/2" plugs from Webb Phillips. I've never installed them before and it went pretty well. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<P class=MsoAutoSig><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 22pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Bradley Hand ITC'">Dean</SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoAutoSig style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="COLOR: navy">Dean May cell 812.239.3359 <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoAutoSig style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="COLOR: navy">PianoRebuilders.com 812.235.5272 </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoAutoSig style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><SPAN style="COLOR: navy">Terre Haute</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN style="COLOR: navy"> <st1:State w:st="on">IN</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">47802</st1:PostalCode></SPAN></st1:place></P></DIV>
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