<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <html><head><style type="text/css"></style><title>Re: [pianotech] hitch pin hole</title></head><body> <div>Ed,</div> <div><br></div> <div>As Del writes, very likely a gas pocket. If a larger pin is collapsing again it will probably need to be a case of moving the pin to 'fresh pastures'.</div> <div><br></div> <div>During one of the early Sydney piano competitions (1981 or 1985 - two comps for which I was preparing the Bösendorfer), one of the other company's pianos developed a crack which ran from the hitch pin to the edge of the plate adjacent to the long bridge. Once the problem was pointed out to the company's tech, there was much wringing of hands. The first decision was fly out another example of the piano for the event. However, when the replacement arrived it was clearly tonally inferior to the originally supplied piano. So the company decided to relocate of offending hitch further back in the plate, after which both pianos were provided for the competition. At the conclusion of the comp both were returned to the factory.</div> <div><br></div> <div>Ron O.</div> <div><br></div> <blockquote type="cite" cite>I haven't had it happen to me either but I've heard of it happening. Two possible causes come to mind. You say it's an expensive grand so it probably has a green-sand cast plate. Occasionally bits-as in very small clumps-of sand break loose from somewhere and get into the casting. To me this seems most likely. The other possibility is an internal gas (air) pocket. I'd think you'd have discovered that the first time around, though.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>ddf</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Delwin D Fandrich</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Piano Design & Fabrication</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USA</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Phone  360.515.0119 - Cell  360.388.6525</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite><a href="mailto:del@fandrichpiano.com">del@fandrichpiano.com</a> - <a href="mailto:ddfandrich@gmail.com">ddfandrich@gmail.com</a></blockquote > <blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite><b>From:</b> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]<b> On Behalf Of</b> Ed Foote<br> <b>Sent:</b> Saturday, December 03, 2011 5:49 AM<br> <b>To:</b> pianotech@ptg.org<br> <b>Subject:</b> [pianotech] hitch pin hole</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Greetings,</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Three years ago, I had a hitch pin begin to give way in the plate of a rather expen$ive grand. It seems that there was a pocket of something other than cast iron at the particular spot (Eb55).   It was under warranty.  Factory recommendation was to install a larger pin, which I did while accompanied by the dealer's technician.  Now, I get a call that the note is once again totally whacked out and I fear that the pin is once again beginning to lean into the string's pull.  I think the ultimate solution would be to drill a new hole perhaps an inch farther distally and just avoid the area.  Anybody else deal with something like this?  First time in 35 years I have encountered the situation. </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Thanks,</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Ed Foote RPT<br> <a href="http://www.piano-tuners.org/edfoote/index.html" >http://www.piano-tuners.org/edfoote/index.html</a></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite><br>  </blockquote> <div><br></div> <div><br></div> <x-sigsep><pre>-- </pre></x-sigsep> <div><font size="+1" color="#0000FF"><b>OVERS PIANOS - SYDNEY</b></font></div> <div><font color="#000000"><i>   </i></font><font color="#0000FF"><i>Grand Piano Manufacturers</i></font></div> <div><font color="#000000">_______________________</font></div> <div><font size="-2" color="#000000"><br></font></div> <div><font color="#000000">Web http://overspianos.com.au</font></div> <div><font color="#000000">mailto:ron@overspianos.com.au</font></div> <div align="center"><font color="#000000">_______________________</font></div> <div align="center"><font color="#000000"><br></font></div> <div align="center"><font size="-1" color="#0000FF"><i>A web page with images of recent work and almost-audio-CD quality mp3 sound files of the Overs piano can be found at;</i></font></div> <div align="center"><font size="-1" color="#0000FF"><i>http://overspianos.com.au/more_info.htm</i></font></div > <div align="center"><font size="-1" color="#0000FF"><i><br></i></font></div> <div align="center"><font size="-1" color="#0000FF"><i>So put on your headphones, plug them into your freshly restarted computer and sit back to over 20 minutes of pure piano.</i></font></div> <div align="center"><font color="#000000"> _______________________</font></div> <div align="center"><font color="#000000"><br></font></div> </body> </html>