Don, I have had success though not really analyzed (properly) with using rosin on the smooth pins prior to putting them in the block. I learned this from a builder who always told me to use rosin when stringing a pin (one without a becket hole) as well as allowing some of the rosin into the pin plank. I guess thie is the same logic as violins even though stringed instruments are wood on wood. . I've only used this technique on the kit "harpo's" I've encountered (maybe 3 or 4) since I didn't want to risk testing on a better quality instrument. Just thinking outloud...... Gerry Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 15:37:27 -0700 To: ed440 at mindspring.com; caut at ptg.org From: hgreeley at sonic.net Subject: Re: [CAUT] Wrest pins Hi, Don, FWIW, I agree with Ed. Albeit some years, I've had to do this several times, mostly for the reasons you note. It's been most successful when I've taken the time to redrill the pin block before using threaded pins. Also, Gerry's suggestion as to drilling the smooth ones is very interesting, depending on how you're set up shop-wise. Best. Horace At 03:13 PM 10/8/2009, you wrote: Don- Careful as you go. A harpsichord with tapered pins may have a rather lightweight wrestplank. I saw a historically designed instrument in which the tapered pins had been replaced with zither pins, splitting the 4' section of the wrestplank. Ed S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Donald McKechnie To: caut at ptg.org Sent: Thursday, October 08, 2009 5:36 PM Subject: [CAUT] Wrest pins Hi Gerry, I have tried email and phoning him a number of times. Willard is indeed a recluse. The most important reason I want the pins Willard uses is the threads. They simply hold better than the smooth, tapered pins that Instrument Workshop sells. We have a nice harpsichord here at IC that was made by a local amateur builder. The smooth pins do not hold very well on this instrument. I want to replace the whole set. Two 8' choirs and a 4'. There are other methods I might be able to use to make the current set hold but I would rather replace. Thanks, Don Donald McKechnie Piano Technician Ithaca College dmckech at ithaca.edu 607.274.3908 From: G Cousins <cousins_gerry at msn.com > Date: October 8, 2009 3:33:30 PM EDT To: CAUT <caut at ptg.org> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Wrest pins Reply-To: caut at ptg.org Martin is a wonderful craftsman and a bit of a recluse. He rarely responds to email, phone or otehr communications. I did get to speak to him but only by knocking on his shop door until he answered it. I believe he gets his pins from europe though I not certain. You just have to bee persistent and patient and keep trying until you get through. I do have a few here (spares) but not many. I got them during my previous visit. You could also get them from Instrument Workshop and drill the becket holes....(Just a thought) Gerry C West Chester University of PA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/caut.php/attachments/20091008/83399ec1/attachment.htm>
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