Drying pinblock before stringing

[Ken Jankura]

Dear Thump,
OK, one last time, all together now, holes in wood act as wood itself would
act. Fact. Truth. Take it to the bank.
A FINGER-SIZE HOLE IN WOOD WILL GET BIGGER WHEN WOOD IS PLACED IN WATER.
One note of exception - the hole will initially get smaller as water enters
the wood fibers and cells and spaces by the cut edges. But upon equilibrium,
you'll wonder why you drilled the hole so big. Please do it yourself, drill
a hole in a piece of wood, place wood underwater, next day play a game of
throw the drill bit through hole from 10 feet away without touching the
sides of hole. Ain't that fun?
Ok, then drill a hole in wood, place it in the microwave or oven till dry.
You will not be able to put the drill bit in the hole, guaranteed. I'll
watch Titanic (can I pick something else?) with my finger in the wood in
water if you do it with your finger in the wood in the oven. Deal? Actually
I wouldn't want to do it, as it might hurt for a while, until enough water
uptake.
Pinblocks are from another planet and do not follow the golden wood rule.
The wood is constrained  from free movement by the cross laminations, so the
only place it can expand or contract is just around the cut edges. Wood
cells shrink just around the tuning pin hole in the dry season, so loose
pins; wood cells swell just around the tuning pin hole in humid season, so
tight pins.
A piece of wood and a piece of pinblock react differently, never ever
confuse the two or you might get something stuck.
Read Bruce Hoadley 'Understanding Wood', don't just take my word for it.
Ken Jankura RPT
Fayetteville PA


----- Original Message -----
From: "gordon stelter" <lclgcnp@yahoo.com>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 9:15 PM
Subject: Re: Drying pinblock before stringing


> Actually, I have heard plenty stories about pianos
> strung here in the hot and humid Souweth, in the
> summer, which develop loose poins when the furnace is
> turned on. I'm merely tryiong to cancel the effect.
>      Thump
>
> Try this: Drill hole in block of wood, diameter of
> finger (use mic). Now, insert finger full length, find
> easy chair, dip block in bucket of H2O, watch
> "Titanic".
>
> When film is completed,
> try to remove finger.
>
> Answer question:
> Does finger get stuck because hole gets A) Larger with
> water added to wood?
> B)Smaller with water added to wood?
> Stick hand in oven---(low heat!)
> Watch "Titanic" again.
> Does finger come out?
> Why?
>
> Next Question:
> Chaise longue is to aardvark, as rubber band is to:
> A)"Astroturph" (TM)
> B)Cold cream
> C)Rhinocerous
>
> --- Richard Brekne <Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no>
> wrote:
> >
> >
> > gordon stelter wrote:
> >
> > > Nope. Its just what holes in wood do, as the fiber
> > > around them contracts from lack of moisure.
> > > ( Been eating those flowers, again Bambi? )
> > >      Thumper
> > >
> >
> > Nope... just bringing up another past discussion.
> > Seems that not
> > everyone agrees with you on this subject. Don Manino
> > for example, (if I
> > am not mistaken) takes the view that the hole does
> > exactly what would
> > happen if there was wood there..... shrink.
> >
> > I havent gotten around to trying to find out the
> > truth of the matter
> > myself. Just constertate that it seems to be an open
> > issue.
> >
> > Cheers.
> >
> > Anyone got a carrot ?
> >
> > --
> > Richard Brekne
> > RPT, N.P.T.F.
> > UiB, Bergen, Norway
> > mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
> > http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html
> >
> >
>
>
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