3/4 plate vertical pinblock problems.

[Mark Story]

Hi Greg,

You're not going to want to hear this, but I think you're going to have to
pull the plate.  The hard part is already done - destringing.  There's
really not much more to pulling the plate.  This is assuming that you have
removed the sides of the piano before this point.  This is really the only
practical way to do a complete pinblock replacement on an upright.  It's
not as difficult and radical as it seems at first.  This is how they are
built in the first place.  I have completed pinblock replacement on
uprights both with and without removing the sides - I much prefer the
former.  Actually, I only sectioned the pinblock without removing the
sides.  You really need to remove the sides and plate to do a complete,
thorough pinblock replacement - for reasons that you have already
discovered, among others.

If you need to use epoxy to re-bed the new block, be extra careful that you
use high quality, fresh epoxy.  You want to be certain that it hardens
correctly.  I learned this the hard way. :^(

Mark Story, RPT
Eastern Washington University
mstory@ewu.edu

> pinblock to fit this which is no problem, but how do I get the soundboard
> re-fastened so that it doesn't rattle up against the bottom of the plate?

> I don't want pull the plate! Also, when I finally got the pinblock out
> (literally in splinters) the back also suffered some deep (1/4 " to 1/2
")
> gouges. What is the best way to re-glue the new block? I have heard of 
> using marine epoxy because it fills, but should I fill as much of the
gouged
> wood with something prior to installing the block? Any suggestions would
be 
> helpful, welcome and definitely appreciated.  (i.e. HELP!!) 
> 
> Thanks in Advance
> Greg Torres
> Tunapiana@aol.com
>