Text: From: zebpiano@worldnet.att.net.geentroep (Richard Vance) To: rolls@foxtail.com, toto@fovea.pndr.upenn.edu Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2000 09:15:30 -0500 Subject: Piano Tuning Pin Alignment To answer Mr. Toto's question about alignment of the hole in the tuning pin bushing and the boring in the pinblock; the bushing is a turning of soft white birch, with a hole in the center a little smaller than the smallest tuning pin diameter. As the pin is driven into the bushing, the hole in the bushing expands as its soft wood is crushed outward. As the pin is driven further into the block, and aligns itself to the seven degree block boring, the bushing wall squeezes further, to accommodate the final tuning pin position. In other words, the soft wood in the bushing is what 'gives', to accommodate whatever position the tuning pit assumes. One does not have to worry about any theoretical misalignment between the bushing hole and the pinblock boring. It has been written that the plate bushing gives extra support to the top end of the tuning pin, to help prevent it from bending as the string is tightened. I have always thought this to be suspect, since the plate bushing is so soft and easily distorted compared with the pinblock hardwood. I am not alone in this; some pianos, including good Mason & Hamlins, were done without plate bushings, with apparently no bad effect. Richard Vance

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