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Joined: Mar 2009
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Our tech is in the midst of a restoration on a Steinway M. Not a typical restoration, high level, show quality finish on the plate, etc.
Does anyone have any experience/procedures/tips/interference tolerances on removing and replacing all hitch pins (including blind hole hitch pins in base) on the plate? The old pins will be replaced with new chrome plated hitch pins, i.e., those supplied from Piano Tek. NOTE: The old hitch pins are perfectly fine, this change is being done purely for cosmetic reasons.
Thanks!
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Heat would help. If your tech does not feel comfortable doing it, I would suggest bringing in a machinist.
Semipro Tech
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Thanks, BDB, I'll pass this along.
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I routinely replace bass hitches with vertical hitches, especially in short pianos like the M. The vertical hitch pins are either stainless split pins or stainless dowel pins.
Removing the blind hole bass pins never really works very well from above. I shear them off, grind everything flush,redrill the plate, moving the the hole back tangent to the the old pin if room.
I've also redrilled the existing holes if they were straight drilled to start with. In either case, for me, its drilled at the Bridgeport, drilled with 1 bit .10" shy of the final dimension, then reamed with a second pass to the final hole dim.
Just getting the existing pin out can also be done by carefully making a pattern and hand drilling from below, then punching the pin out from below...but your template has to be right on.
The longbridge pins should come out easily by punching out from the underside of the plate...assuming they are through drilled.
Jim Ialeggio
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Thanks, Jim. I'll pass this suggestion on to our tech.
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Greetings,
Hmm, for the amount of trouble, effort, and risk being considered for purely cosmetic reasons, it seems like less trouble to polish the pins that are already in there.
Regards,
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Joined: Apr 2010
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Greetings,
Hmm, for the amount of trouble, effort, and risk being considered for purely cosmetic reasons, it seems like less trouble to polish the pins that are already in there.
Regards, Yeah, you can get 'em buffed to a real nice shine . . .
Keith Akins, RPT
Piano Technologist
USA Distributor for Isaac Cadenza hammers and Profundo Bass Strings
Supporting Piano Owners D-I-Y piano tuning and repair
editor emeritus of Piano Technicians Journal
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,326
2000 Post Club Member
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2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,326 |
I routinely replace bass hitches with vertical hitches, especially in short pianos like the M. The vertical hitch pins are either stainless split pins or stainless dowel pins.
Removing the blind hole bass pins never really works very well from above. I shear them off, grind everything flush,redrill the plate, moving the the hole back tangent to the the old pin if room.
I've also redrilled the existing holes if they were straight drilled to start with. In either case, for me, its drilled at the Bridgeport, drilled with 1 bit .10" shy of the final dimension, then reamed with a second pass to the final hole dim.
Just getting the existing pin out can also be done by carefully making a pattern and hand drilling from below, then punching the pin out from below...but your template has to be right on.
The longbridge pins should come out easily by punching out from the underside of the plate...assuming they are through drilled.
Jim Ialeggio All good approaches. I would add that they don't always come out real easy. Also, make sure that you are using a high-quality cobalt bit -- probably better than what is available at your friendly local hardware.
Keith Akins, RPT
Piano Technologist
USA Distributor for Isaac Cadenza hammers and Profundo Bass Strings
Supporting Piano Owners D-I-Y piano tuning and repair
editor emeritus of Piano Technicians Journal
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,983
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Our tech is in the midst of a restoration on a Steinway M. ... I suggest your technician get in touch with colleagues and peers to discuss any questions he may have. PTG and MPT members are usually very helpful with advice. There are other strictly technician forums where the cumulative wealth of knowledge and experience is nothing short of astounding.
JG
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