[pianotech] Re-pinning

[mario at pianosinsideout.com]

Schimmel won't like this, but I would ask for a replacement piano. Or let
them replace the pinblock/pins/strings. If the owner insists on having the
issue dealt with locally, I wouldn't accept replacing tuning pins without
also replacing the strings. Those beckets may start breaking 10 years from
now because you stressed them as you took them off. 
 
If you are not comfortable with restringing the piano on a factory quality
level, get an estimate from someone you trust and see if Schimmel will cover
it.
 
To prevent the tuning pins from scorching the pinblock holes either use a
brace or get a beefy, high torque drill and extract the pins at very low
speed. 
 
Mario Igrec
 
  _____  

From: paul bruesch [mailto:paul at bruesch.net] 
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 1:14 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: [pianotech] Re-pinning


I have a customer with a quite new (3-4 years old) Schimmel K120, a nice
~47" Studio. Nice, except that virtually all the tuning pins are barely
tight enough to hold pitch, which of course makes it unpleasant to tune.

I am in contact with Schimmel about this. They want to send me a set of
oversize pins. I suppose anything would be an improvement, but I have a few
apprehensions/questions/concerns... 

(1) I've never re-strung, nor re-pinned, an entire piano. I have replaced
single pins here and there, and a dozen or two on an instrument (an S&S "B"
that should have been getting rebuilt instead). On the dozen-or-two piano, I
had a heck of a time tuning up to pitch when I replaced both pins of one
wire. Should I replace one at a time? i.e. pull one pin, (ream/chase... see
#2,) replace with new, pull up to pitch, pull other pin, lather rinse
repeat? Seems like an incredible amount of tool-changing.

(2) There's been much discussion on this list about reaming (chasing) for
new pins on a restringing job, and about PDF/resin for driving the new pins.
Any opinions as far as either of these topics for repinning a nearly-new
piano?

(3) For removing the old pins, would backing them out with a power drill
generate too much heat? The alternative, manually backing out 200+ pins,
seems like an incredible time suck.

(4) How much time should I plan on, particularly given this is my first
experience??  

(5) Would the results be significantly better than CA'ing the block, and
worth the effort? I do think that CA'ing a nearly new block sounds like a
sacrilege! 

I do have a tilter which I would think I definitely want to use.

Thanks much,
Paul Bruesch
Stillwater, MN


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