replacement of hammers

Hello salvopiano,

Replacing the pedals is a very technical operation.

If you replace them, the new ones must be of a larger size.

When replacing the pedals, it would also be appropriate to replace the strings.

If you leave the same strings, there is no need to remove them; once the eyelet has been removed from the pedal, you will be able to reinsert it onto the new pedal.

As books, I suggest two excellent manuals:

"Il pianoforte da concerto" by Giovanni Bettin

"Servicing, tuning and rebuilding" by Artur Rublitz

Hi piano tuner, thank you so much for the answer, I see that you are always very helpful, prepared, and precise in your work

this pleases me because I too am a perfectionist regarding precision

I have already ordered Artur Rublitz's "Servicing, tuning and rebuilding" from the FTP, which includes the CD with the Italian translation along with the book

"Il pianoforte da concerto" by Giovanni Bettin, if I'm not mistaken, I read that by mistake you had 2 copies, so 1 to sell? If you haven't sold it yet

we can talk, maybe in private if you want, give me a good price and I'll take it.

I know perfectly well that replacing the pins is a very technical operation like everything else, however

but if I don't try, as I have always done with all other things, I will never succeed.

Once someone told me:
if you want to do something difficult, you must at least try; if you don't try, you will never succeed, and if you want to get results, you must also make mistakes.

I agree with you when you say that if the pins are replaced, it would be appropriate to change the strings as well

I will probably do it that way; it will also serve as practice for me, perhaps skipping the bass ones which have a certain cost

(also because the use of the piano will be amateur)

Mine was to understand precisely the diameter of the hole made in the soundboard having a certain pin: let me explain better.

When a piano is built, the manufacturer provides a pin to be installed
if the pin measures 6.60x57mm, what is the diameter and depth of the hole in the soundboard so that the pin turns
and at the same time has the right grip?

Then if over time the technician has to replace the pin because it is now loose by 1 larger size (I think I also read about 2 sizes, I don't know if that is correct)
and must ream to clean the hole (if reaming is necessary, or if it's enough to just replace the pin), what diameter should the reamer tip be?

IN UPRIGHTS, WHEN THE PINS ARE DRIVEN IN, IS A SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR THE GOOD OF THE SOUNDBOARD, AS IN GRAND PIANOS?

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR ANSWER. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL WORK

I WOULD BE VERY PLEASED TO RECEIVE AN ANSWER FROM MASTER PAOLO FERRARELLI.

Hello salvopiano, thank you for the appreciation of my work.

While waiting for Pianoexpert, I am trying to answer the various questions.

I have already passed the copy of Bettin's book to a colleague, I cannot help you.

The ankles are embedded in the soundboard for half of their length;

this would mean that the soundboard is about twice as deep as the ankle itself.

No, as far as I know, for upright pianos a support jig is not required during the process of hammering the ankle.

It depends if the upright doesn't have a soundboard underneath, yes

Thanks for the answers... As for the book, no problem, I always order it from FTP with a VAT number, I have a good discount, thanks anyway. Have a good evening everyone.....

Replacing tuning pins and strings is certainly a delicate job. Naturally, one must decide on the new size depending on how slow the old ones are. The replacement procedure is controversial; everyone has their own opinion. There are those who ream the hole... those who say you shouldn't even clean it... those who only screw them in, etc. It should be noted that in the history of the "patents"—that is, the patents this instrument has collected—someone even attempted to invent a tuning pin adjustment system with micrometric screws in metal seats that could only turn and account for the minimal movements of rotation and tension of the string. Without any success. It seems that the "rudimentary" system of a threaded tuning pin housed in a wooden hole is still unsurpassed. This is because, as the American school observes, the tuning pin has a dual purpose: to turn and to twist. Furthermore, such movements create a sort of "friction" in the wood that "embraces" more effectively and locks the tuning pin itself.

From these observations, it can be deduced that it is very important to preserve the integrity of the original hole over time, trying to allow as little as possible the ovalization of its seat. During tuning, for example, personally, I am against adjusting the key by spring-loading. The hole is much less stressed if the tuning pin is settled by eliminating its torsion in one or two "gentle pressure" movements.

Now, when replacing the tuning pins, these principles must be taken into account to avoid any excessive "wobbling" stress on them. Furthermore, it is advisable that the new tuning pin be inserted by screwing it in to create the new micro-thread seat. Subsequently, however, after winding the strings, it will be appropriate to "tap" the tuning pins themselves, creating that friction that contributes to the correct grip. One must be very careful when using electric screwdrivers and drivers, which contribute to producing, even if slight, a slight eccentric movement of the tuning pin itself during extraction and/or insertion.

Thanks for the response, as always with great professionalism. Kind regards

I agree with you when you say that if the hammers are replaced, it would also be appropriate to change the strings

I will probably do so; it will also serve as an exercise for me, perhaps skipping the bass ones which have a certain cost

Unfortunately, it is the bass strings that break most easily while changing the hammers.

Maestro Ferrarelli is right: proceed with caution and be careful not to hurt yourselves.

Th piano string steel is very resistant and elastic... when it "snaps," perhaps while you are extracting it from the coil thinking it is just "wire," it cuts the hands like a scalpel without you even noticing.

Regarding the ankles, I feel compelled to add that it is also good to avoid overheating the hole.

If there are indeed problems with a note and you cannot find the right tuning, it is better to stop and come back to it the next day..