Pounding tuning pins.

[Roger Jolly]

Hi Doug, 
              I'm wide awake to. <G> Usually when driving pins the pitch
tends to drop, check as you go, by plucking. The tension of the string will
turn the pin back a little as it is being driven in, if you are using a
standard pin punch.  Different story if you are using a pin punch/lever,
the opposite can happen, since the lever prevents the pin from backing off.
Coils should be from 1/8'' to 3/16'' max off the plate. 
Make sure the coils are tight and level, and the strings are seated at all
bearing points.
If the coils are loose the pins may be higher than you think. Tighten
before driving, so you know how far to go.
Also check that the plate and pin block screws are tight. 
 Since it seems to have been rebuilt by some one of a doubious skill level,
check the pin block to plate flange fit.
May as well cover most of the bases.
Regards Roger


At 03:45 AM 27/08/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi all:

>New customer has a Howard/Baldwin baby grand that was rebuilt recently (not 
>by me.)  I'm the second or third tech to service this piano which the main 
>complaint has been tuning instability.  Visually the pins looked high with 
>the angle of the strings coming off the pin either level or heading in a 
>downward direction.  The measurement from the plate to the bottoms of  the 
>coils on the tuning pins is a 1/4".  If I was going to drive pins further 
>into the block so bottom of coils would now be 1/8" off the plate would it
be 
>wise of me to drop the tension of the strings a bit before driving the
pins?  
>Of course I would be supporting the pinblock during this operation.
>
>I should say, the rebuild took place under two years ago and the new strings 
>have gone through their initial stretching period.  
>
>Thanks in advance for any come backs.
>
>Doug Mahard
> 
Roger Jolly
Saskatoon, Canada.
306-665-0213
Fax 652-0505