In a message dated 8/6/99 2:29:12 AM !!!First Boot!!!, btrout@desupernet.net writes: << A few thoughts came to mind. Bryan 1) Use a saw to cut out the curved / sloped part of the block, and duplicate that leaving the stretcher and case intact. I've never done it before, so it would be a new experience. Since it's a full plate, it would be pretty much invisible, but I'm not sure it would be right. ? What are you going to attach the new block to? I would not recommend this one 2) Make an attempt at routing / chiseling out large areas of the pinblock in such a way as to do a very large 'inlay' of several sections of pinblock material. Haven't done this one either. I have done this, and it can work. You have to be careful when you glue the sections in, so that they line up with the plate. 3) Tear the bloody thing apart as carefully as I can and duplicate it. I have been down this road before, and there's a lot of case repair to be done. Since you are refinishing the case any way, this will work. It's just a lot of extra work. I'm not convinced that to use a bunch of plugs would be a good long term repair. Plugs work very well in a case like this. One other possibility is to use an epoxy to fill the cracks in the pin block. Shore up the bottom of the pin block. Fill the holes halfway with an impact resin, (used to repair fiberglass boat hulls), and insert OO tuning pins. The resin will penetrate into the cracks and crevices in the pin block, or it will come out of the top of the hole. Wipe off any excess resin. Let this dry for several day. Remove the pins, and restring using OOO pins. (you can start O pins and string with OO pins if you want OO pins as the final size). This is a permanent repair. One draw back is that the torque on the pins will not feel the same as an all wood pin block. But the pins will hold, and the block will never crack again. Willem Blees
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