Pinblock Plugging; was: woe on the boat,(block epoxy)

[Farrell]

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Alan,

On most pianos, yes, it would be easier to just replace the pinblock. =
But in cases where, as Ed stated "(the) block comprises the upper =
portion of the sounding assembly and there was no way to remove it =
without completely destroying the piano and starting from scratch" or in =
the situation like what I photographed, when the pinblock is mortised =
into the case around more than half its perimeter (you would have to =
come close to building a new exterior case for the square grand to =
remove and replace the pinblock), then plugging rapidly becomes an =
efficient approach.

Terry Farrell


  Question (based on zero experience in this procedure): When you have =
do all that, wouldn't it be easier, faster, and cheaper just to start =
with a new piece of lumber?

  Alan Barnard
  Salem, Missouri


    Pinblock. I assume the plate is out of the piano (how else did you =
remove the soundboard?). Plug the block with plugs cut from pinblock =
material of your choice. Webb Phillips sells Delignit and maple =
multi-lam 1/2-inch and 3/8-inch plugs. Some people drill the same size =
hole, use Tightbond and pound them in. I drill an oversize hole and =
epoxy them in place with West System. Make heap strong pinblock. =
Pinblock look like crap, but get real solid - just like new (or in this =
case, likely better). If you want the full story of all my trials and =
tribulations on using epoxy in such a case, just holler. Picture of =
epoxied-in pinblock plugs (square grand).

    Terry Farrell


    SNIP
    > The block is the last real task to deal with. The block comprises=20
    > the upper portion of the sounding assembly and there was no way to =
remove it=20
    > without completely destroying the piano and starting from scratch. =

    >    The piano was strung with atypical tuning pins, (at least, in =
my=20
    > experience).  They are .250" diameter and only 2 inches long.  =
These are smaller than=20
    > any piano pins I know of, and larger than the zither/harpsichord =
pins.  The=20
    > dainty little plate doesn't encourage me to drill the holes out to =
accomodate=20
    > the 1/0 pins, and they are all too long,anyhow.   I can only =
imagine re-using=20
    > the originals.  There was marginal torque on quite a few of them =
prior to=20
    > disassembly, so I want to treat the block before driving them =
back. =20
    >    I have, against all my "traditional" training, become! a fan of =
CA glue in=20
    > the treatment of loose pins, but I wonder if I can't do something =
a little=20
    > more extreme with this block.  I know that some of you have used =
the West System=20
    > epoxy in block repair, and would like to know what your technique =
is.  The=20
    > block is a solid beech beam with two very thin laminations on top. =
 Any ideas? =20
    > Thanks,=20
    >=20
    > Ed Foote RPT 
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