Two Loose Pins

[Billbrpt@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 12/11/99 7:26:06 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
JPIESIK@arinc.com writes:

<< This involves a 4 foot 8 inch, no-name grand [expletive deleted], 1920s 
vintage, fair-poor condition, nice refinishing job, [expletive deleted] 
design. >>

Remember those "expletive deleted from the Nixon Watergate days?  The kind of 
vulgar and cynical attitude he had about his job is what lead to his 
resignation, in my opinion. That having been said, aside from the CA glue 
remedies, there is a more extensive and refined repair that you could do if 
you think it would make the piano better.  It would, after all, be worth some 
real money to do this.

You could use a Falconwood plug.  You would bore out the plate and pinblock 
to accept one of their smaller sized plugs that are ideal for this kind of 
repair.  I forget their exact size because it was some 15 years ago that I 
did rebuilding work.  But there were 2 sizes, a regular (I think 1/2") and a 
small (I think 3/8") for certain repairs where tuning pins were very close 
together.

If we did a pinblock plugging job which is especially effective on a vertical 
or a grand where the removal and replacement of an odd type pinblock that is 
structurally a part of the case, we used the small sized plugs in the low 
tenor, where the pins are very close together.  There may possibly have even 
been the alignment problem you bring up.

You would need to be set up just as well and properly as if you were going to 
drill the entire pinblock.  You could, however, have a drill press jigged up 
just for those 2 holes.  You would need to determine the exact width from the 
top of the plate to the bottom of the pinblock with some large calipers that 
would reach the area.  That distance may be estimated by looking at it from 
the front or by simply passing a piece of piano wire down through the hole, 
stopping it with your finger at the other end and pinching it off at the top 
to reveal the real dimension.

Measure the length of your plug and set your drillpress to drill exactly that 
much from the top of the plate.  If the plug is as long as the distance from 
the bottom of the pinblock to the top of the plate, you would need to trim 
the plug a bit.  Your hole drilled for the plug should leave about 1/8" of 
original pinblock.  You can use epoxy, medium CA glue or really any wood glue 
to glue in the plug.  If your fit is a bit loose, the gap filling properties 
of Epoxy or CA glue will help secure the plug.  When your glue is cured, 
drill the new holes at the exact angle and center of the plug. 

To correct the alignment problem, you will need to change the position of one 
or maybe even both holes.  That would mean boring your big hole for the plug 
off center.  You would need to drill at high speed and slowly so that the 
hole in the plate and pinblock do not redirect your drill.  The speed of 
drilling for the plug and the tuning pin are quite different considerations.

Drive the plug flush with the plate.  If your plug is a bit too long, you 
could leave up to 1/16" protruding above the plate.  It will also serve as 
its own plate bushing.  You will need to use the right sized drill bit for 
this material: .271 or .272, as I recall.  Your drilling angle and centering 
are important so that your hole remains within the new material you put 
there.  Also, the speed of your drilling is critical because Falconwood is 
much more dense than other pinblock material.  If you drill too small, your 
pin will be way too tight.  If you drill carelessly, you'll have to use an 
oversized pin and maybe even end up using CA to make your repair effective.

It just may be that this customer cares about this piano a lot.  If she/he 
does, it would be worth the trouble of making a truly effective repair and 
correction of the alignment problem.

Just another idea.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin