Hi Bill --  What I would try if it were me is some liquid tuning pin
tightener.  You need to lay the piano on its back so the liquid will
run down into the tuning pin holes.  You apply the liquid around where
the tuning pin screws into the pin block.

Almost all the piano supply houses used to sell this product.  I even
know a formula you could make yourself if you can't find any to purchase.
Wait a few days after first applying and maybe do a second dose.  Then
wait a few more days and test a tuning pin or two with a tuning pin
hammer and see if they are now tight.  You can purchase a tuning pin
hammer from most piano supply houses such as Schaff.

Another device that you could try is a sleeve that fits around the
inside of the tuning pin hole.  They look like they are made of copper
metal and you could use these if you tuning pins were already the
largest size.  Again, these are available from the piano supply houses
and don't cost much.  When putting in new larger pins with these
sleeves the tech drives the pins in part way with a hammer; in other
words, he won't try to screw it in as that in itself will wear out the
hole.  There is a special punch available that fits over the tuning pin
head for this driving-in purpose.

Second, a piano tech with the know-how could remove a tuning pin and
measure the size.  If it is less than the largest size tuning pin you
could replace the tuning pins with a larger size.  The size is called
2/0, 3/0 and up to 7/0.  These sets of tuning pins are available at
a piano supply house such as Schaff.  They used to cost about $20 a set
but no doubt are more than that nowadays, maybe $50 a set.

If the pin block is cracked or split then don't waste time on the above
advice -- you do not need to replace the strings to replace the tuning
pins.  The tuner should best try for A=435 Hz and don't try for A=440
or that would maybe cause some strings to break.

I spent most of the 1960s rebuilding players and my piano tech repinned
quite a few loose ones and they held a tune good afterwards.

We used to have a special hand truck for tilting the piano backwards.
It was called a "Miller truck" and was available from piano supply
houses such as Schaff.  If you had access to a good heavy duty
appliance hand truck you could make that do and I am sure you could
find one to rent if you are in a large enough town.  These hand trucks
are normally used to move refrigerators, washing machines, etc.

Ellsworth Johnson
Spokane, Washington
tel.: 1-509-838-2161