[AT] OT - using pitchfork

[Thomas O. Mehrkam]

The Tuning Pin tightener is death to pianos. No good piano tuner will 
use it. It destroys the pin block. It will hold for a while and will 
never hold tune after that. I had a tuner do that to an Antique piano of 
mine It Held tune for about a year. After that no luck at all. I gave it 
away to a Piano restorer who was going to build a new pin block.

The correct way to fix the problem is with shims. It takes a lot more time.

The pin tightener causes the wood to rot.

PS: if you want to tighten the handle soak it in water. It works for 
hammers and axes.

Mike Sloane wrote:
> 
> 
> Larry D. Goss wrote:
> 
>> Tuning pin tightener.
>>
>> FWIW, this is a common problem in pianos.  Tuning pins are only held in
>> by friction and when the maple dries out over time they loosen up and
>> the piano will no longer hold its tune.  There is a product made to
>> solve the problem.  It's called Tuning Pin Tightener.  Anybody can make
>> it though; it's a 50/50 mixture of alcohol and glycerin.  I use Solox
>> for the alcohol, but any source will do.
> 
> We had an antique Chickoring upright with that problem, and that is how 
> the tuner fixed things. But it still wouldn't hold the tune. We had a 
> hard time finding a home for that instrument, even giving it away. It 
> must have weighed close to 1000 lbs and took 4 very big guys to move it.
> 
>>
>> If you have a really large gap in the handle, then apply some Gorilla
>> Glue to the application before you insert the tang in the hole.  This is
>> an expanding weatherproof glue that can be used to reconstruct wood
>> after it has been miss cut.  The more it's constrained while it's
>> setting, the more dense the resulting joint.  Available at Home Depot
>> and other such places.
> 
> Yes, Gorilla glue is great stuff, but once you put it on a handle, you 
> will never get it off if the handle breaks. Also, use rubber gloves when 
> working with the stuff, or it will turn your fingers black where it 
> sits. (Don't ask me how I know this!)
> 
> Mike
> 
>>
>> Larry
>>
>