<HTML>In a message dated 1/26/2002 4:13:01 AM Pacific Standard Time, A440A@AOL.COM writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Subj:Re: pin comparisons Date:1/26/2002 4:13:01 AM Pacific Standard Time From:<A HREF="mailto:A440A@AOL.COM">A440A@AOL.COM</A> Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> To:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> Sent from the Internet Greetings, Dale writes: >>To my mind it doesn't really matter how   .   big the pin is, within reason  a no.1 thru 4 pin as long > as they render easily in the    block. know what I mean. . >a  block with number ones and they're to tight it 's still hard just as hard > to tune as the too tight no.4 >>         While I like experimenting as much as the next person, I am finally satisfied with my pin/block/drill combination.  The D at Vanderbilt tunes like a dream.  I used 1/0 pins from Pianotek in a Steinway plank.  I drilled it with a new "C" bit in the bass and middle section, switching over to the "D" bit for the last two octaves. </BLOCKQUOTE> <.>>>>>>>>>>What is the decimal equivelents for these bits? Generally I've used a .250 for no. ones at 2&3/8" and not always happy. I've thought that a .253 or .so would be better fit in the treble( but haven't looked for a bit that size) and a .250 in the bass.      After two years, the torque has remained a <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> around 120 in/lbs in the bass, and a little less than 100 in/lbs in the top.  Not a single jumping pin in the piano.  I don't notice any additional flex in these pins compared to 2/0.  However,  the older D with the 4/0 pins does have a bit more rigidity,(which is good,because it is a tight block).    Contrast this to our brand new D.  The tightest pins in the piano are in the top octave!  Geez, and I have to live with this.  There is no need for a jumpy pin with 150 in/lbs torque in the top octave of a piano and  I consider it an artless stringing job when it makes tuning unnecessarily hard for us tuners.   >>>>>Dittos on that</BLOCKQUOTE> I am beginning to understand why some older rebuilder/techs  I know <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> eventually got to where they only tuned their own rebuilds.</BLOCKQUOTE>     >>>Ed if every steinway tuned like an old original well preserved factory job we'd all be smiling and thats my goal.                    >>>>>>>Dale <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Regards, Ed Foote RPT </BLOCKQUOTE> </HTML>