Pin Torque

[Avery Todd]

Newton,

   Thanks for your, as always, direct and to the point answer. :-)
   The reason I asked is that some tuner down in Beaumont did some
torque readings on a 15 yr. old (app.) Baldwin SF that the dealer has
in the customers home on approval. He got her all upset by telling her
there was a 'chance' she'd have to replace the pinblock within 10 yrs.
or so. I checked some of the notes he had written down and told her
were too loose and they felt OK to me. Not typical Baldwin TIGHT, but
well within bounds. One of the readings he told her was too loose was
about '50'. She also said he was "jerking" the torque wrench around,
so I doubt that he really knows how to use it.
   Since I've never used one, I just wanted some information from the
experts to help soothe her fears. It's acutally a pretty nice piano.
Very lightly used. Just needs some TLC (regulation, voicing, tuning
etc.), which I'll be giving it next week. Thanks.

Avery

>If the pin is so tight you have trouble tuning it, it is too tight.
>If the pin is so loose that it will not stay in tune, it is too loose.
>If it stays in tune it is tight enough.
>
>20 to 100 inch pounds is a tolerable range.
>
>		Newton