Coburn
I flipped a grand upside down once to get the plate out. But you can use the same technique to dope the pin block. Put a blanket about where the keybed would come when it comes in contact with the floor. Lift the tail end of the piano and just keep going. When the piano is straight up and down, with the front edge of the keybed on the blanket, walk around to the other side and gently let the tail end come down. Be sure you put some 2x4 on the floor to rest the rim on, otherwise you'll have a hard time picking up the piano and to reverse the process. If you're not strong enough to do this by yourself, get a helper.
Having said that, I don't think you need to tip the piano upside down. You can add CA glue, with a syringe, to the base of each pin. If you're worried about the glue seeping through the block, either remove the action, and then put paper towels or a rag on the keybed to catch the drippings, or put paper towels between the pin block and the action. Much easier than tipping the piano.
Wim
Original Message:
Sent: 4/25/2026 4:27:00 PM
From: Cobrun Sells
Subject: Flipping Grand for CA Glue Treatment
Hello,
I can't seem to find where I saw this before, but there was a tech that mentioned flipping a grand piano upside down to insert ca glue into the tuning pins from the bottom-side of the pin block. Pros? Cons? Couldn't the glue just seep through and gather around the tuning pin coils and gather on the star heads of the tuning pins?
If it was just a few or even a dozen or 2 pins I'd just use an insulin syringe to add glue, but it could be a lot more and the customer is not looking for another piano or major rebuilding...the piano is low quality.
I suppose some would consider this egregious, but I thought I'd ask.
------------------------------
Cobrun Sells
cobrun94@yahoo.com
------------------------------