Broken tuning pins

[Richard Anderson]

Speaking of broken tuning pins; I just broke one stringing a Baldwin L
with 4/0s in the original multi-laminate block. It twisted off at the
becket hole on the first crank.

I'm restringing about a dozen Baldwin L's for a conservatory. They are
all from the 1950's, about the time Baldwin switched to the multi-lam.
style block. All the pianos with the old style block needed new blocks
while all the pianos with the new multi-lam's could be repinned. This
speaks well for the longevity of the the multi-lam's, but leads to two
problems.

First; Removing the old tuning pins from the multi-lam's is much more
difficult the the old style blocks. I've discovered that using a
pneumatic impact wrench to remove the pins works great. There is very
little torque felt at the tool handle because of the impact action of
the tool. Unlike electric drills which heat up and try to snap your
wrists off, the impact wrench stays cool and can be held with one hand.
This is great but creats problem #1. The impact wrench tears up the
drive hole in the 3/8" drive star tip socket that is available from the
supply houses. A 1/4" 8 point socket will fit the pin perfectly, but I
haven't found a 1/4" 8 point impact socket at my usual sources. Anybody
know where I can get a 1/4" 8 point impact socket?

Second; I haven't found a satisfactory method to resize the holes in the
multi-lam. blocks, hence the problem I had today. I know the best way to
work the multi-lam. material is abrasion. I've tried the reamer made
from a tuning pin, both by hand and in a drill press with only modest
success. Does anyone know of a source for abrasive reamers of the proper
size?

Has anyone tried driving the old pins through the block (out the bottom)
as a way of resizing the holes? This might remove the old pin and resize
the hole in one operation. It could be done with a pneumatic hammer with
the proper tip, and it shouldn't tear off the bottom of a multi-lam.
block if the block is supported nearby. I'll have to experiment.

Richard Anderson, RPT
Elgin, IL