a success!

[Alan]

A 12th flat would be -1600 cents. Now THAT's flat!

I have "saved" a couple of pinblocks that bad with CA -- like a miracle,
really. Even if they only get a couple years out of it, that's a help to a
lot of families with limited $.

Three things: 

Pins 'tapped in' should never get too close to the plate. If they sit on the
plate you will not be able to get it up to pitch and/or the string will
break.

If tapping pins (or replacing with a larger size or shimming) seems to open
bigger cracks, STOP. That block is shot. CA and maybe an installed
Dampp-chaser is your ONLY hope ... And kind of a Hail Mary at that.

ALWAYS put down a tarp and newspapers when you pour in the goo like that,
especially if it is running between pin holes because it will also run onto
somebody's carpet! DAMHIK

Glad it worked. Don't be discouraged by critical commentary here. But DO be
ENCOURAGED to further study for future successes!

Alan R. Barnard
Salem, MO

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Maggie Jusiel" <mags@magsmusic.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 7:35 PM
Subject: a success!


> Just wanted to share a success story with those who gave me so many 
> directions on using CA glue...
>
> It was a very old (tall) upright.  The first thing I noticed was that 
> there wasn't anything covering the pinblock (no metal plate, etc.), 
> and I could see the cracks.  The second thing I noticed was that all 
> the strings were approximately a 12th flat or lower.  I tried to pull 
> a few up...no good...went right back down.  Because of my previous 
> experience with CA glue, I thought it might not be enough, so I 
> hammered the pins in further. (One hit pushed them to the coils!)  
> This also opened up the cracks in the block a little more, but not too 
> much.  After that, all but a few would just barely hold a pitch if I 
> took the hammer off the pin very carefully. There were lots of people 
> there willing to help move the piano, so it was no trouble getting the 
> glue in.  It was very interesting because as I put glue in one 
> location, we could watch it travel through the cracks to other pins, 
> filling up the gaps as it went.  While the glue was drying, I took my 
> time doing some other repairs, and they fed me. :D  When the glue was "dry
enough", I went ahead and brought it up to pitch.  It held quite
> nicely.  I was happily surprised!  :D     I've used CA glue before on
> other pianos, but none of them were this bad.  I don't know if I 
> needed to force the pins in further, but I think it helped, and it 
> allowed more glue in.  Hope that was the right thing?!?!?
>
>
> Maggie Jusiel

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