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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A href="mailto:dwrlhf@juno.com" =
title=dwrlhf@juno.com>dwrlhf@juno.com</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"
title=pianotech@ptg.org>pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, June 20, 2001 =
2:07
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Using oversized =
pins</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>As a former part-timer in piano tuning and repair, I have =
never
dealt<BR>with replacing loose pins in a grand. I am working on a =
grand
in a local<BR>school system without a lot of $$ for piano =
repair. I am
volunteering to<BR>repair what I can for them as a temporary =
fix. There
are about 6 or 8<BR>very loose pins, some that cannot hold the pitch =
at all
and some for only<BR>a short amount of time. I am thinking of =
replacing
the loose ones with<BR>oversized pins. Do you have any =
suggestions as to
how to do this fix?<BR>...... do I need to replace the strings for =
these as
well? I would<BR>appreciate any advice from those of you =
with
greater experience. Thanks<BR><BR>Dave at:<BR><BR><A
=
href="mailto:dwrlhf@juno.com">dwrlhf@juno.com</A><BR><BR>______________=
__________________________________________________<BR>GET
INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!<BR>Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet =
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=
href="http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj">http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj<=
/A>.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> No, you don't have to replace the =
strings. Just
pry the wire out of the tuning pin, trying to retain the shape of the
coil. Back the tuning pins out of their holes with a tuning =
hammer,
T-hammer, or with a star head socket (available from =
supply
houses) in a ratchet handle or drill. Go easy with the drill =
speed so
you don't burn the hole. Then, usually you use the next =
size
larger, or two sizes larger tuning pin. If you like, you can =
ream the
hole first with a tuning pin hole reamer or brush it with a =
gun-cleaning type
brush, but I don't feel it's really necessary unless the hole got =
burned or
there's a lot of sawdust or other residue in the hole. </DIV>
<DIV> Anyhow, if you're going to drive the pins in, =
support
the pinblock by removing the action and supporting the bottom of the =
pinblock
with a small screw jack, usually with blocks of hardwood underneath =
and on top
of the jack, directly under where you'll be pounding the pins =
in. Then
drive the pins in with a pin punch and a 3 lb. hammer, or a regular =
ol' hammer
will do. Stop when the hole for the wire is about 3/8" to 1/2" =
above the
plate.</DIV>
<DIV> If you're going to just turn the new pins in, =
then you
don't have to support the pinblock.</DIV>
<DIV> Then put the string coils down over the tuning =
pin,
poke the becket (the bend where the wire enters the tuning pin) back =
into the
pin, give it a quarter turn, squeeze the wire into the pin, give it =
another
half turn, lift the coils, and bring up to pitch.</DIV>
<DIV> If the becket got bent much when =
removing from
the old pin, it may just break off, in which case you might have to =
straighten
out about a half inch of wire to get it re-inserted in the pin, then =
start
winding the coils. </DIV>
<DIV> If you turn the pins down into the block an =
eighth
inch or so higher than their final desired height, then put the string =
on,
thread it in, and bring up to pitch, the pin should end up =
about
the right height. But if you're going to drive them with a =
hammer and
punch to get them all the same height, then support the =
pinblock.</DIV>
<DIV> Try one size larger pin and see how hard it =
drives in,
then try the feel with the tuning hammer. If it drove in like a =
box nail
in soft pine and turns pretty easily, you might want to go up another
size. But if you really have to pound hard to get it to go in, =
it's
probably too big. </DIV>
<DIV> Other alternatives are: removing the pin, =
inserting a
small strip of sandpaper or one of those tuning pin sleeves and =
driving the
pin back in, or using pin dope or CA glue. </DIV>
<DIV> Good luck -- it's not that =
hard.
Sincerely, David Nereson RPT</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>