Hard pin setting was( Setting them pins!)

[Farrell]

I'm not sure if I can answer your question directly, but perhaps indirectly. One thing I have noticed about my tuning lever technique - and this happens without much thinking - kinda like auto-pilot - is that if I am tuning a piano with tight tuning pins (moderate to high torque) I will do it much like you describe - go sharp and then flex it downpitch to desired pitch - if I am tuning a piano with low pin torque, I find myself often (especially in the bass - but all over the piano also) arriving at proper pitch by flexing in from below pitch. I don't know why I do that or how I decide it is appropriate for what situations, but it just "feels" right and the pins feels stable - a little knock this way and pitch goes up, a little knock that way and pitch goes down, the pin appears to be in a neutral state of torque. And then I'm sure there is a grey area where grey things happen that I don't know about!

Have you read the book "Different Strokes" by Ken Burton?

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Benny L. Tucker" <precisionpiano@alltel.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 11:41 PM
Subject: Re: Hard pin setting was( Setting them pins!)


To clarify what I meant by hard pin setting. What I'm trying to describe about my technique is this. After getting the pin in the correct position, with the pitch "sharp", I like to flex the pin "not flagpoling", downpitch to the perfect unison.
I have always felt that the resistance felt during this downpitch flex should be moderate. In other words, just a little more pushing down and the whole pin will turn, but it takes great effort to pull the pin back up-pitch.
    My thinking is that I don't want the string to be able to pull the pin down any further, because I have already pounded it in with moderate flex downpitch.
    I was just wondering if I might be "flexing" the pin downpitch too much, and therefore the pin "unwinds" after I leave and pulls the pitch sharp. I am now trying to set the pins with a lot less "flex", like at the beginning of resistance.
Does this make sense? Anyhow, I appreciate all your advice!!

Thanks.
    
Benny L. Tucker
Precision Piano Tuning & Repair
Thomaston, Ga.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Wimblees@aol.com 
  To: pianotech@ptg.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 11:03 PM
  Subject: Re: Setting them pins!


  In a message dated 2/20/03 3:46:34 AM !!!First Boot!!!, precisionpiano@alltel.net writes:


    So, my question this time, "How hard to you guys and gals set the pins"?
    And do you feel confident with it's holding power?

    Thanks for your input!

    Benny L. Tucker
    Precision Piano Tuning &Repair



  Benny

  Setting the pin is not something that is considered "hard." So I don't know exactly what you are saying when you say your setting the pin hard. The strings, yes, you should hit the key hard, so that the string will settle down, and be rendered over all the pressure points. 

  But to set the pin, your doing the right thing, by releasing the tension. But you might want to do one more thing. When the string is "there," and you've released the tension on the pin, just wiggle the tuning hammer a little. Don't put pressure on the pin, and don't bend it. But with your fingers, just lift up the handle of the hammer and wobble it up and down. (or back and forth on a vertical). That is all there is to setting the pin. 

  And as far as your tunings staying or not. Although setting the pin and the string will make it more stable, if a piano is out after several months, especially after the winter we've just had, it isnot anything you did wrong. All of our pianos went haywire this winter. 

  Wim