<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="metricconverter"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=FR link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Hi,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Plumbers use teflon tape against leaks in water or air pipes and you can find it in any hobby shop. It is verry fragile and soft.<o:p></o:p> I’m not shure the tape will remain on the thread to the bottom of the hole (into the wooden part) as it has to turn into the iron for about <st1:metricconverter ProductID="2.5 cm" w:st="on">2.5 cm</st1:metricconverter> but you could give it a try. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Here is a copy of a reply to your mail a few days ago. : <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Pierre   The Boudoir grands I know about have the (square)pins screwed for about 2/3 into the iron plate and 1/3 into wood. I tuned several and some stayed in tune quite well (afther more than 130 years !) Others had the pins to loose. I don’t know if it is possible to find such tuning pins nor if it these would hold better. There is some explanation on the left front side of the soundboard near the basstrings but I think this is only to explain how to change a string.  I’m also interested to know how to make this kind of pins tight again.   Like some use ca glue for wooden pinblocks would it be possible to use a kind of product like Locktite for metal threads ? This is used for making the threads tighter and exists in several strenghts. Of course this may sound stange for using this kind of stuff for historical pianos but I can’t see another way exept maybe make threaded pins that are a little bigger or maybe a better choise to change the wooden part of the block (beech)so that at least the pins get some new grip there.<o:p></o:p> Some techs turn grand pianos upside down to put ca glue to the pins.<o:p></o:p> As a last ressort you could use solution as it is the only way to get the pins in the wooden part tighter (unless you change the wooden part)   In this way it would be possible to clean and reuse the original pins. There are many of those Boudoir grands remaining today so I would eventually be possible to find another similar instrument for using spare parts.   <st1:PersonName ProductID="Pierre Gevaert" w:st="on">Pierre Gevaert</st1:PersonName><o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> De : pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] De la part <st1:PersonName ProductID="de stephan" w:st="on">de stephan</st1:PersonName> van meirhaeghe Envoyé : jeudi 7 août 2008 20:55 À : pianotech@ptg.org Objet : Fwd: Broadwood broken tuning pin<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> These are indeed square tuning pins that screw first in the iron plate and also into the block.<o:p></o:p> <div> I could bore them out but then the thread will be wasted, so have to make a new (English?) thread in the plate and make a new pin. A pin extractor seems a possibility but one pin has broken just at the level of the plate. The pins are tight enough before I pull them out so I hope they stay that way. I think making new pins could be done by a company in my region.Hopefully with the same square shape and same material. I've also read about using PTFE tape for using just the lenght that goes into the wood. Anyone have experience with this Teflon tape and is this easy to find?<o:p></o:p> </div> </div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </div> </body> </html>