Steinway "pinning" dilemma - friction drop after pinning

[fssturm@unm.edu]

Hi Isaac,
   50 cm centerpins, you say? What is the source for these? I have never seen or 
heard of such a thing. Joe Goss is selling what amounts to more or less the 
same thing, I think, except it is lengths of music wire (with a somewhat 
sharpened end) of the same diameter as centerpins. Same theory. Instead of 
working a shorter reamer back and forth, you draw a longer reamer through in 
one direction. 
   The single correct direction is an interesting idea. I had thought the cloth was 
more or less consistent in either direction. But even if it is, it might be good to 
work in just one direction so as to keep "brushing" the fibers the same way 
rather than back and forth. Would lead to less "bunching up" and probably more 
lasting results, which is what you and Don Mannino seem to be saying. 
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico

Quoting Isaac sur Noos <oleg-i@noos.fr>:

> Fred,
> 
> I was experiencing the same frictionnal drop after pinning, till I
> begin to use this process :
> 
> 1? Always work the bushing in the same direction than the original
> insertion.
> it is easealy seen because original was machine pinned, the cut side
> is the output side. This instruction was said to be of primal
> importance (and funny enough that was the way I've learned to re
> pin,
> without understanding it all !).
> 
> 	I made my reamers with lenghts of centerpin, roughened on a small
> surface under 2 soft files, and checked with the micrometer. Then I
> can insert the reamer from one side and have it out in one move
> only.
> 
> This bushing fiber direction , provided by Renner Germany, was an
> eye
> opener to me. New bushings (cloth and center)are to be treated the
> same. This way the fiber inside the bushing stay undisturbed.
> 
> 2? if you plan to use pre-cut center pin, always burnish, but again,
> in the same direction only. I use metal burnishers of any sise sold
> by
> Renner - without handle , long center pins may well be OK too.
> 
> The preferred solution in fact actually, is to use the long
> centerpin
> for repinning. These are 50 cm long approx with a very sharp end I
> catch with flat pliers.  The flange/shank itself is stopped in a
> vertical plank with a vertical saw cut in, I catch the extremity of
> the long center pin and pull it all along in one firm move.
> This way I don't have to burnish, the heat generated by the friction
> does the job well. Centerpins have to be cleaned with pure alcohol
> from time to time.
> 
> 
> Since using this process (a few months) I have consistent results,
> and
> the friction change is far less noticeable, other advantage is that
> the minimal work is necessary, and I almost alway can use only one
> size more.
> 
> 
> Drawback is of course that my nice reamers with their handle,
> numbered, are now useless
> 
> Did not process on complete repinning jobs recently, but it may be
> done very quickly with this method. In fact Abel sell us complete
> pinning jobs for 70$ (?), so they may not pass more than 1.5 h. on
> each I guess.
> 
> Please give a try and let us know what you find !
> 
> Best Regards.
> 
> Isaac OLEG
> 
> Entretien et reparation de pianos.
> 
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