[pianotech] Broken Drill Bit in Bridge

[Ron Nossaman]

On 8/12/2012 9:49 AM, Dale Erwin wrote:

>   Hi Nick
>     As the founding member and yes, still president of "piano rebuilders
> anonymous" recovery group, for those who make mistakes but...don't like
> to admit it. Yeah, you... I'd like to welcome you and Terry as new members.
> Dues are cheap and confession is good for the soul
>    Good repair Nick, but 1/2 inch plug?  For what its worth a 3/8th
> mortising bit cuts a wonderful maple plug making the repair just a bit
> more.....delicate. But hey...whatever works

Which is why I chose a 3/16" as a diameter to get that broken bit out, 
to leave as small a visible "footprint" as I could. Actually, on digging 
the thing out of the drawer, I find I'd used 1/4" rod and filed it down 
to 3/16" at the end. Must have been what I had on hand at the time. I'll 
still fall asleep on the odd surprise occasion and miscue on a punch 
location with the drill bit, in which case I plug it with a CA soaked 
shoe peg and re-drill where it should have gone in the first place. I 
know a plug is the socially acceptable fix, but the fiber reinforced 
plastic of a CA soaked shoe peg is harder and less deformable than a 
plug as well as being less visibly obvious, so I refuse to feel guilty 
about it. Mechanically, it's at least as good. For a broader damage fix, 
as Nick pictured, a plug is for sure the way to go.


> still president of "piano rebuilders anonymous"weDale

Just because you still attend the meetings...
Ron N