Pinblock too low

[Mike and Jane Spalding]

Jerry,

Yes, the power planer suggestion should make less mess than sanding disks, probably go faster, too.  Newton had suggested some dust-and-chip-control methods; I'm thinking of masking off the inside of the action cavity at the plate flange, to keep all the junk away from the soundboard/strings/dampers/back action.

thanks

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: G GRAVINA <ggravina@ix.netcom.com>
To: Mike and Jane Spalding <mjbkspal@execpc.com>; Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, September 13, 2002 8:46 AM
Subject: Re: Pinblock too low


> Mike,
> 
> Had same problem with a pair (not one, two!) Sohmer grands at a local 
> HS.  Original pinblock, as far as I can tell.  Previous tech's answer was 
> to grind off tops of drop screws!  In your case, a power planer might be 
> cleaner than a grinder for removing pinblock material.
> 
> Jerry Gravina RPT
> Babylon, NY
> 
> 
> At 05:50 PM 09/12/2002 -0500, you wrote:
> >List,
> >
> >Today I was asked to examine a "rebuilt" piano and figure out why it plays 
> >so poorly.  Knabe small grand from mid-1920's.  It was obvious just 
> >sitting at the kyboard an playing a little, that the damper timing was way 
> >uneven, and drop was way low.  Thought the solution would be failry 
> >straightforward.  Then I pulled the action, which did not slide out 
> >easily, and saw the pinblock hanging 1/4" below the stretcher, and the 
> >furrows ploughed (plowed?) by the drop screws.  OK, now we know why the 
> >last guy didn't regulate the drop.  Obviously got to make some room to 
> >raise the drop screws.  Shanks are original, so I might gain something by 
> >bolstering knuckles, but probably not enough.  I could go in there with a 
> >disk sander and grind some off the bottom of the pinblock, but I'd prefer 
> >not to inflict the noise and mess on the customer's living room.  Anyone 
> >else ever faced this situation, and found a neat (i.e. reasonably clean 
> >and quiet) solution?
> >
> >thanks
> >
> >Mike Spalding, RPT
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> 
>