<!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 6.00.2800.1264" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#d8d0c8> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I've never replace one of those curved, = etc. blocks, but I know a number of folks that will say to not be intimidated = by them (I think Del Fandrich wrote just that recently on this list) - it's just = not that hard to shape (electric hand plane, belt sander, etc.). Failing = that, IMHO, I would recommend plugging with half-inch pinblock plugs. I have plugged = and replaced sections by routing. I've done the sectional/routing = method on uprights, but on the upright I can epoxy a number of big dowels through = the new section into the framing/backposts. Done this way on the grand you would = have quite a bit of torqueing strain on the one epoxy joint around the = perimeter of the insert. Not sure I would be comfortable with that (I know, I know, = the epoxy bond <EM>should </EM>be stronger than the wood). When I = have plugged grand blocks, I set the plugs into epoxy. With the plugs you have a lot = more epoxy/wood jointing area. I realize that much of the block will be = drilled out in areas, but you will still be left with more original block and more = epoxy joint surface area with the plugs compared to the insert. Just the way I = see it. Please disregard if you do not agree.  ;-)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=741662027@charter.net = href="mailto:741662027@charter.net">Cy Shuster</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, March 05, 2004 = 1:56 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Pinblock partial replacement?</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Does anyone have handy a reference to repairing a = pinblock by routing out the center section and replacing it?  I've looked = in these archives and in the 20 years of the journal, and haven't found = it.  Searching on "pinblock" gives a lot of hits!  Even adding = "insert, partial, and router" doesn't help...</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>My friend has a Chickering grand with a stepped, = curved, two-piece block to replace, and this looks like a good = approach.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>--Cy Shuster--</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Rochester, MN</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>