[CAUT] CA for loose pins on a "D"?

[Cy Shuster]

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Both bridges look new to my eye.  There are no shims in the soundboard =
(they wouldn't do that to a "D", would they?), and the wood looks new, =
so I assume it is, too.  Can't tell about the pinblock.  There is no =
local Steinway dealer: none in WV at all!  But I've been thinking about =
writing to Steinway to get its history (any contacts?).

Less than a dozen bass pins are loose.  Treble pins are adequate but not =
what I'd want for the tensions here.  I'll treat the whole thing if I CA =
it.  The loose pins are near plate struts, and/or the keyboard (not the =
plate flange).  I've never driven pins; I don't have the tools for that. =
 None seem to have been previously driven.

Turns out the DC has been unplugged for two years, and was only on for =
one.  The rebuild was about eight years ago, so the damage was probably =
done long ago.  Indoor winter humidity here has been around 33% (in =
homes), and is around 40% now; I'd sure like to know what it is in this =
auditorium in the winter.  The janitor said he filled the double-tank =
system about every two weeks, which seems on the high side for me.  =
That's the best ammo for my argument, I think.  I've given them the DC =
brochure and your excellent CAUT guidelines, which latter should be =
publicized more widely to the PTG membership.  I only found them by =
accident through a Google search!

Thanks for all the advice...

--Cy--
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Ed Sutton=20
  To: College and University Technicians=20
  Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2005 9:24 AM
  Subject: RE: [CAUT] CA for loose pins on a "D"?


  Cy-

  Were the pinblock, bridge cap and soundboard replaced during the =
"Steinway rebuild?"  Was this "Steinway rebuild" done at the Steinway =
factory in New York, or by the local Steinway dealer?

  Are all the bass tuning pins loose, or just a few?  How about the rest =
of the tuning pins? If this is a new pin block, this could be due to =
sloppy drilling or poor choice of tuning pins.   Is there room on the =
pin to allow driving it a bit deeper into the block?

  CA glue is a very good emergency repair.  It doesn't damage the pin =
block or enlarge the hole, thus leaving the option of repinning the =
entire instrument or section with larger pins of one size.  (The only =
risk I've found is that on a vertical it may drip through onto the =
floor!)

  You might write a letter saying that you have identified apparent =
problems in the pin block, bridge and soundboard, that these may be =
caused by extremes of humidity, and that you cannot evaluate the extent =
of these problems unless the climate control system is activated.  You =
can get a booklet from Damp-Chaser that may help, and also be sure the =
system is adequate.

  Your plans for North Bennett Street are wonderful.  Good luck!

  Ed Sutton

    ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: Cy Shuster=20
    To: CAUT
    Sent: 4/15/2005 10:19:08 PM=20
    Subject: [CAUT] CA for loose pins on a "D"?


    I've been studying piano technology for ten years, on and off (I've =
passed the RPT written exam), and have been tuning professionally for a =
year and a half.  I've applied to North Bennet St. for this fall.

    I was just asked to take care of an S&S D for a local community =
college.  It's 1917 vintage (played by Rachmaninoff at one time!), and =
rebuilt by Steinway about ten years ago.  It's suffering from humidity =
damage: 8" crack in the soundboard behind and under the treble bridge =
and elsewhere, false beats in the low tenor (loose bridge pins?), and =
loose tuning pins in the bass.  One or two are so loose I was tempted to =
mute them, for fear they wouldn't survive a concert.

    Of the needed repairs, the only one's I'm qualified to do are to CA =
the loose pins, which I've done successfully three times previously.  =
I'll happily do this on someone's no-name, 100-year-old, 4'8" neonatal =
grand with rusty strings, but I want to ask for advice before doing =
anything irreversible to an instrument of this caliber.  I can do the =
repair without side effects, I'm sure (I pull the action and use copious =
amounts of plastic tarps), but still...

    Is the right thing to do to simply write up a report and say that it =
needs a new pinblock, bridge cap, and at least epoxy in the soundboard =
cracks?  Or let Steinway re-evaluate it?  Is it better to pull the loose =
pins and shim with sandpaper or veneer rather than risking CA?  Will =
Steinway scoff if they get a CA'd pinblock to replace?

    Side note: it has a disassembled DC system... sigh...

    --Cy Shuster--
    Bluefield, WV

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