<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=windows-1252"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1141" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>    Never assume the hinge pins on a grand lid are = in place.  We do it all the time, and usually we're OK, but I almost = lost a finger today.  The lid was up when I got to the customer's = home,  but I noticed it wobbled a bit when I removed the action to remove pencils, etc.  So I decided to tighten the hinge screws.  Lifted the = lid up higher to get at the vertical screws that go into the rim when whisshht, = whoosh, BAM! the thing came down on my hand -- hard !  I was afraid I = had a broken finger or two, and one was bleeding.  I gingerly tried = moving them and they were OK, but I know I'll be bruised for a week or = so.</DIV> <DIV>      Well, the rear hinge was missing its = pin.  How the lid stayed in the up position for the whole hour and a half I = did a pitch raise and tuning, and removed and shoved the action back in twice, not to mention the weeks or months or year (?) it had = been that way with little kids practicing on it, I don't know.  </DIV> <DIV>    At least it was only a 4'8", and not a big grand = -- I would have broken that finger for sure. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>    I carry all the available sizes of hinge pins, = at least those from Schaff, American (they had some sizes Schaff didn't, and vice = versa, if I'm not mistaken), and a few from Yamaha, Samick, etc.  But I = keep running into piano hinges for which none of those sizes is correct -- = either they're too loose or won't go in at all.  And if they're too loose, = they can just vibrate out of there, or kids will pull 'em out, = whatever.  Guess I'll have to put one in that's a bit too small, and put a bend = in it so it'll stay put.</DIV> <DIV>    --David Nereson, RPT, = Denver </DIV></BODY></HTML>