[Fwd: Frame Cracked Twice, Engineering help?]

[Greg Granoff]

Roger,
Glad you could connect with them.  Please let us know how it all turns out.
It's always great to have an actual case to back up claims....:-)
Greg

Roger C Hayden wrote:

> To those who are curious:
>
> I'm persuing the locknstitch method.  I've talked to them in Calif. and
> they want pictures.  The method for me is to cut out (saw out) the crack
> and heat affected area, make a steel 'plug' to fit back in, and metal
> stitch it back together.  Stronger than original.  They are using this
> method on pianos already.
>
> Gary, my contact, has already taught Pianotechs out there on the left
> coast, and was invited to teach it at the Nat. convention in Arlington
> but couldn't schedule it this year.
>
> We're on to something!!
>
> Thanks for the tip, Greg
>
> Roger Hayden, RPT
>
> On Tue, 21 Mar 2000 09:12:11 -0800 Greg Granoff <gjg2@humboldt.edu>
> writes:
> >
> >
> > Roger C Hayden wrote:
> >
> > > OK, Guys, I need help
> > >
> > > Hazleton Bros. 5'10"  Grand.  Neatly rebuilt, (by me).  Too little
> > > downbearing in the treble, so I lowered it a bit.  (I've Done such
> > things
> > > before.)  Brought up the tension nice and evenly, installed
> > dampers,
> > > sounding good at A-440, ready for fine tuning.
> > >
> > > During the Fine Tuning:   THWUNK !!  I couldn't see anything, so I
> > played
> > > a chromatic scale.  It climbed nicely until I passed the last
> > strut, and
> > > dropped a fourth.  Then I could see the crack, travelling toward
> > the
> > > Northeast, but holding near the edge of a circular sound hole.  I
> > QUICKLY
> > > dropped tension on that section, and then dropped the rest of the
> > piano.
> > >
> > > Fortunately this pinblock is only attached to the frame, and not
> > to the
> > > case, so I loosed everything, pulled out the frame with the block
> > and
> > > strings intact, and called a welder who assured me he could handle
> > this.
> > >
> > > Re-painted, reinstalled, strings back in place, tension up to
> > A-440 and
> > > holding.   Last Friday before bed I played a chromatic scale
> > again, and
> > > it wasn't chromatic. . . . . .  So I dropped the tension on the
> > last
> > > section and went to bed.
> > >
> > > There's more to welding cast iron then I knew.  My welder did not
> > heat
> > > the plate, nor cool it slowly, as I hear is necessary.  And I've
> > heard
> > > from a far more skilled fellow, that this kind of welding is very
> > much an
> > > art.
> > >
> > > Question:  What if I had a steel plate created, and with PC-7
> > between it
> > > and the underside of the frame to give it strong frictional
> > contact,
> > > drilled, tapped and bolted  this plate in place below the cracked
> > area.
> > > It would be out of sight, and providing considerable strength for
> > that
> > > area.  Would this be sufficient to bear the tension and give us
> > our whole
> > > piano back?
> > >
> > > Roger C. Hayden, RPT
> > > Clarks Summit, PA
> > > ________________________________________________________________
> >
> > Roger,
> > I've included a link to a site which promotes an intriguing and
> > apparently
> > extremely successful
> > variety of cast iron repair.
> > Haven't talked to them, but I understand that they have done piano
> > plates and
> > consider their procedure highly appropriate.
> > It might be worthwhile to check with them, regardless of what you
> > ultimately
> > do.
> > Good luck!
> >
> > Greg Granoff
> >
> > Here's the address:           http://www.locknstitch.com/
> >
>
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