[Fwd: Pinblock Repair.]

[cpstout]

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Subject Pinblock repair
Date Wed 22Jan 1997 12:04



It was interesting to note the Wm Blees (St Louis) reply to the
fiberglass resin pinblock repair thread.  Methods evidentally vary from
technician to technician and probably the net results do to.  I would
like to report that one Schmoeller-Mueller bungalow piano I completely
restrung using fiberglass resin is still going strong!  About 99% of the
tuning pins turn as well as in a new piano.  This repair was done in the
spring of 1974.  I wrote the Evercoat company (?) and I have a reply on
file stating that fiberglass resin, when used in this manner, would last
indefinitely - and it has for 22 years now.  There seems to be no sign
of any deterioration of the fiberglass itself.

My method varies somewhat from what the 'thread' seems to state.  I like
to do verticle pianos better but have done grands as well, blocking up
the pinblock with jacks to impede the flow of the liquid out the hole.
I alwo ream out the hole with a gun cleaner type brush; use either 3.0
or 4.0 pins; and fill the individual holes half full.  Each tuning pin
is also coated with the resin before driving in to the place where the
pin 'bottoms out' where the pin gets much tighter because no tuning pin
has ever been in further (it drives much, much harder if you go too
far).

One of the things I have done differently, perhaps, is the fact that I
do about 7 - 8 pin holes at a time, WITHOUT WIRES attached!.  After some
30 minutes, each pin is then unscrewed about two turns to allow room for
the pin to be tuned WITHOUT BOTTOMING OUT against hardened fiberglass in
the bottom of the hole.  The tuning pin doesn't turn very well when it
hits the hardened fiberglass, I found out the hard way.  {I had to take
all strings off - back out pin - and reattach the wires one time!}
Small dixie cups werve as a funnel to pour fiberglass resin from and
also an excellent container in which to mix up just enough material to
do the 7 - 8 pins before the hardner takes over.

One main drawback to this method is the fact that you repin without
attaching the wires.  I found it easier to make coils on a separate
t-pin and hook up the beckets rather than to turn out the pin enough to
turn on the whole coil.

The concensus of opinion seems to be that fiberglass resin does, in
fact, follow and fill all voids in the pinblock, resulting in a good,
solid foundation for the tuning pin.  I have seen a section of pinblock
cut into two pieces demonstrating this crack filling very well.

I only wish that each and every one could 'feel' the nice, new piano
tuning pin feel fiberglassed pin blocks offer.  BUT you have to have
ROOM for the pin to screw in and out - not against the hardened
fiberglass.

P.S.  I would appreciate someone familiar with Netscape 3.0 telling me
how to enclose the original message in e-mail replies.  Thanks.  I also
had trouble sending to pianotech causing an "user unknown" error
message.



			cpstout@concentric.net
			R.P.T., Nebraska Chapter
			Holyoke, Co and Chandler, AZ

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