S&S D balance rail pins

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher D. Purdy" <purdy@oak.cats.ohiou.edu>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: June 28, 2001 5:57 AM
Subject: S&S D balance rail pins


> I am rebuilding a D #142465 (1910 I think) and have noticed something odd.
> The balance rail pins are leaning back towards the back of the frame.
They
> are at roughly 95 degrees to the keybed.  Same thing in the key mortice.
> The problem comes with the key depressed, the back of the key button tends
> to hit the balance rail pin.
>
> I noticed when tearing this bird down that although there is a "normal"
> amount of balance rail punchings, there was a ton of punchings on the
front
> rail pins.  I am still bushing keys and fitting them back to the frame so
I
> am not into regulation yet but I have never noticed this pin angle before.
> Have I been asleep or is this weird?
-----------------------------------------

Yes, Rip, you've been asleep. This is standard, at least it is in most of
the piano world. As near as I've been able to find it's done this way simply
to piano technicians from destroying the balance pin hole as they lift the
front of the key to insert front rail punchings.

We all, of course, follow the proper procedure of lifting the keys at both
ends so that when we remove them from the keyframe we cause no damage to the
balance pin hole. Well, we do, don't we?

Regards,

Del