Pianotech

  • 1.  Verdigris/repinning in newer Young Chang grand?

    Posted 06-17-2020 18:14
    Piano is a Y-150 grand, serial TG0026478. My edition of Pierce has nothing for that range, but I'm guessing the piano is 8-15 years old.

    The hammer flange centers have high friction, and what looks like Steinway verdigris. Anyone have experience with repinning these centers? Two years ago, I treated some of these with alcohol/water. Friction was high, but was normal after the treatment. There was no verdigris two years ago.

    I think some have posted in the past that repinning some of the older Young Chang and Samicks has been a success, but I don't remember if there was any mention of verdigris. Seems like that was for the center pin coating problem.

    They want giving quotes for repinning, and also for new hammers, shanks, and flanges. I'd love for the repinning to work, as it is far cheaper. But I don't want to have the problem return after another couple of years.

    Thanks!

    John Formsma, RPT

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    John Formsma, RPT
    New Albany MS
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  • 2.  RE: Verdigris/repinning in newer Young Chang grand?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-17-2020 20:58
    My Pierce says 2008.

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    Geoff Sykes, RPT
    Los Angeles CA
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  • 3.  RE: Verdigris/repinning in newer Young Chang grand?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-17-2020 22:02
    Funny coincidence. I was servicing a Samick made Knabe yesterday with sluggish centers. I repinned the obvious ones, and the pins had that green gunk on the end. The piano is only five or so years old and was serviced by someone from the dealer who tried to solve the pinning problems. I don't know if they used something that caused the gunk.

    Many Samicks have tight centers. Some get so tight the pin turns in the birds eye instead of the bushing. I haven't tried shrinking them because they are so tight ,and if the birds eye fit is marginal, bigger pins are a must. So I ream with a appropriate sized center pin that us turned into a broach.

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    Edward McMorrow
    Edmonds WA
    425-299-3431
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  • 4.  RE: Verdigris/repinning in newer Young Chang grand?

    Member
    Posted 06-17-2020 22:45
    I think if the substance is verdigris like it would be better to re-pin and rebush to get rid of contaminated  bushing cloth. Not a bad idea to look at the substance under magnification and to examine the pis for scoring or plating issues. I have used both a magnifying glass and a small magnifying lens on an ipad. Keep in mind the issue may also be in other centers on the whippens and even the damper flanges. Ironic but today I serviced a Samick that had an ugly ugly case of seizing action parts when I saw it 5 years ago . I made several revisits at the time and did some re-pinning as well as using Protek. Despite the fact the piano was last tuned 5 years ago and the temperature and relative humidity in the house where both 73  the piano was 1.3 cents flat and everything played fine. Even though I preached about the importance of humidity being lower the owner last time and this time did not seem to get it. She did show me a bucket of that rid-x moisture removal product which was 3/4 full of water.
    I believe she needs a serious house de-humidifier solution.

    The Steinway verdigris issue has been a long known problem and the YC center pin problem has appeared beyond the known blocks of serial numbers. I attribute the Steinway verdigris to the fact that parts had been dipped in parrafin solutions to waterproof them and the friction in the center and possibly humidity and temperature draws the parrafin out. A booklet produced by Steinway called "Steinway Logic" explained that this was done so I am not making it up.

    Costly as it is for new parts it is probably the only real lasting solution.

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    James Kelly
    Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
    Pawleys Island SC
    843-325-4357
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  • 5.  RE: Verdigris/repinning in newer Young Chang grand?

    Posted 06-20-2020 13:55
    Thanks to everyone who responded to these questions.

    Have a great weekend!

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    John Formsma, RPT
    New Albany MS
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