<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> Richard, I use 5/16".  I've never repaired a piano with that much separation.  In any case, I use big clamps to pull it together, then the bolts to hold it there, along with epoxy. Regards, Clyde Hollinger Richard Strang wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE><style></style> Thanks for the info, Terry. I have to go make that very repair to a piano shortly and was contemplating whether or not to lower the pitch first. It this case, the separation is about 1/2"  in the bass and about 1/4" in the treble. Those pesky little termites are in there, too. I think they are causing the problem. They are not in the pinblock, though, so the piano is in tune, though 200 cents flat.   I was also wondering what size bolts to use, 1/4", 3/8"? What do you recommend?Thanks.</blockquote> </body> </html>