<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; =
charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2716.2200" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Talked here before about the Chickering =
"Quarter
Grand" I'm am trying to keep alive for a client... pinblock replacement =
not a
reasonable, affordable option.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Pins are only about 20-25 in. lbs. =
torque.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tunes okay, doesn't hold. Has DC =
installed 4 mos.
ago.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Pulled pin and found it is a 3/0. =
Judging from the
piano's history, strings' appearance and the pin size, I think this was =
restrung
about 16 years ago by a piano store. If so, the pinblock was probably =
already
showing its age then -- maybe they didn't want to jump to 4/0 for fear =
of making
cracks worse.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Used #60 sandpaper shim, drove the pin =
partway in
but stopped because it seemed EXTRAORDINARILY tight. Tried to back =
it out
with tuning hammer--got a tuning head off that's been a permanent =
feature of the
hammer for 3 years--but could not budge the pin! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Finally used a ratchet wrench with the =
tip off my
torque wrench and removed the pin with considerable effort. Replaced it =
with a
2/0 (sandpaper still in place) and drove it in. It now has about 75 lbs =
of
holding torque.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Oh what a difference 0.004" can make. =
(Yes, I
measured the pins.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Now ... if we want to shim other pins, =
do I have to
get a set of 2/0's or look for a thinner sandpaper? Try the veneer =
option? Take
the piano off life-support? Set fire to it? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Customer asked another funny =
question:"If I decide
to sell it, what's it worth?" Well, the case is beautiful, it sounds =
okay (if
tuned maybe 4 times a year, that is). I shaped the hammers and regulated =
the
action--it's not perfect but plays quite nicely. Backchecks need new =
skins and
regulating.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So I gave him the old "whatever the =
buyer is
willing to pay and you are willing to accept" answer. But that seems =
like a
rotten answer as it gives him no clue for a starting point. Well, I =
don't have
much experience to help him, either.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>ANYONE?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan Barnard</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Performing CPR (Critical Piano Repairs) =
in Salem,
MO</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>