<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=text/html;charset=iso-8859-1 = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content='"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=GENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT color=#000000><FONT size=3>Thanks Roger.  I've often = wondered about the possibility of adding plate bushings as I hate tuning = flagpoles!  However in this piano, the pins look like they are all contacting the = plate at some point because there is so little clearance.  I don't have a = torque wrench but I put my hammer on a number of pins to get a bit of a = feel.  Interestingly, the bass was very tight but most of the tenor/treble pins = I tried had a "spongy" feel although they were tight enough to = tune.  I have a feeling that no matter what I do with the plate,  I'm going = to have to replace the block too.</FONT></FONT><FONT size=3></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000><FONT size=3></FONT></FONT><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Regards, </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000><FONT size=3>     Stephen</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000><FONT size=3></FONT></FONT><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>Roger Jolly wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: = 5px">           &n= bsp;      I have done a couple of verticals with this problem.<BR>On most = plates you are quite safe in drilling out the plate holes to accept a plate bushing.  The plate webs carry most of the stress.<BR>Select = the correct size of drill, so that the bushing is a snug fit. Hand ream = the pin holes.<BR>This will cut down on any flag pole effect, and improve = the tunability of the piano, depending how thick the plate is in the = pinning area.<BR>Don't worry if the pin hole and bushing hole don't quite = line up, when you drive the new pin in it will find it's way home.<BR>Roger<BR><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>