a success!

[Mark Dierauf]

Maggie -

When tapping pins on old pianos be aware that a few manufacturers used
tapered tuning pins (Pre-WWI Henry F. Millers are a case in point). In
these pianos, a very slight tap may produce results.

- Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: Maggie Jusiel [mailto:mags@magsmusic.net] 
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 7:35 PM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
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
Piano Tuner
Winds & Strings Teacher
PO Box 1234
Athens, WV  24712-1234
(304)952-8615
<mags@magsmusic.net>
<http://www.magsmusic.net>