Setting them pins!

[Elwood Doss, Jr.]

Tune the string slightly above pitch, then nudge the string down to pitch.
This takes the torque out of the tuning pin.  Works for me.  BTW, pounding
the string involves setting the string, i.e., equalizing (as best we can)
the length of the string across all of the bearing points.
Good luck--It's a very gratifying occupation to have!
Elwood

Elwood Doss, Jr.
Technical Director/Piano Technician
Department of Music
225 Fine Arts Building
University of Tennessee at Martin
731/587-7482
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

----- Original Message -----
From: "Benny L. Tucker" <precisionpiano@alltel.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 9:40 PM
Subject: Setting them pins!


> Hi folks,
>     I would appreciate some feedback on pin setting technique. In the
past,
> I would always set the pin pretty hard.
>     During my short career in piano technology, I've had a chance to
> re-visit several customers for 6-month/yearly tunings. My findings on
return
> trips were kinda disappointing.
>     I'm always trying to improve my technique, and I just got to wondering
> if I was setting the pin "too hard" leaving a little too much twist in it.
>     Now I'm pretty confident that my string settling is pretty good,
simply
> because I pound pretty heavy during tuning, and my tunings seem stable
> enough when I'm finished. "I can't knock it out of tune" after I'm
finished.
> But, I've heard some pianos that I've tuned and they sounded pretty bad
just
> a couple of weeks later. Others last for months on end, not sounding
great,
> but not too bad either.
>     To cut to the chase, I'm currently not setting the pin hard at all,
just
> a counter-clockwise push until the "beginning" of resistance is felt. Now
> I'm sure there is no excess twist in the pin, but for some reason I can't
> get confidence in this technique. It just don't "feel right" If I don't
push
> hard down-pitch.
>     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
> Thomaston, Ga.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>