Loose Tuning Pins

[John Delacour]

At 8:40 PM -0600 6/3/02, Don wrote:

>The Vose pianos had tappered tuning pins so tapping is an effective and
>quite permanent fix.

Yes, Brinsmead and Kirkman in England, and probably others, used 
tapered pins in the latter half of 19th century.  The 1867 Kirkman I 
am dealing with at present has an all-over plate and the pins taper 
from about 6.90 to 6.60 mm.  Three full turns anti-clockwise and you 
can pull them out by hand.

I've been wondering how they strung them.  I imagine the pins were 
very lightly tapped into the plank and the string wound on with a 
T-hammer so that as the coils were made, the pin tightened in the 
block to the right degree.

As you say, a very slight tap on a loose pin is very effective.

When it comes to restringing, you can use a 6.75 or 6.90 mm pin so 
that the exposed diameter is no bigger than the original.  I wish all 
the pianos I restrung had tapered pins!

JD