[CAUT] Music desk supports

[David Skolnik]

Jon -
You are posing multiple and somewhat conflicting problems. Ignoring, 
for now, the issue of abuse and the breaking glides, you say that the 
desks (multiple) are tight in summer and fall between in 
winter.  It's hard to picture how this is possible.  How much 
dimensional change can be taking place in the desk length? How much 
does the glide project from the inner edge? How thick is the glide, 
and how wide and deep is the mortise in the desk edge? Where is the 
tightness coming from in the summer?  It can't be that the upper lip 
of the mortise is binding against the inner rim , nor the leading 
edge of the glide against the bottom of the mortise, if, in fact, 
both have reasonable dimensions, however, it could be related to the 
thickness of the glide in relation to the mortise width, especially 
if its been re-felted.  You didn't say how many are actually doing 
this, the age, whether original or re-worked, or, given multiple 
pianos, whether desks have migrated (been swapped).

But then you bring up the abuse, which means that the glides have 
been replaced.  And then you have more than a fit, or climate 
problem.  If you are trying to create a psycho-resistant structure, 
steel bracing of the desk and an arrangement like what Fred described 
would make sense.  If someone is trying to test the limits of the 
system, if the glides don't give, the desk will.

And then there's the new HVAC.  Can't wait for Saturday.

David Skolnik
Hastings on Hudson, NY






>At the Cape Cod Conservatory, the some desks slide with difficulty
>in the Summer while in the Winter they fall between the glides.
>
>I've been thinking of installing 1" square rails beneath the glide rails
>to add support to the desks in the dry heating season.
>
>Has anyone done something like this?

>S&S, glued-in rails



At 07:33 PM 12/11/2008, you wrote:
>>Sounds like a good idea. But why square instead of angle? (Or maybe
>>that's what you meant). And wouldn't 3/4" or even 1/2" do the job?
>>(and be a bit cheaper and more out of the way of things like your
>>tuning hammer on A0). And actually you could probably get away with a
>>couple small angle brackets on each side. The best fix is deeper
>>grooves in the desk and higher profile glides, but that's a lot of work.
>
>Square is easier to make than angled. I don't know who stands on these
>but they always seem to break, even with screws in them. So I figure
>that a large block restricting the downwards motion will prevent breaking
>plus slipping through.
>
>Metal would be harder to cover with cloth for the desk to glide upon and
>harder to drill screw holes.
>
>They had a new HVAC installed this Summer and I'll see what has
>transpired seasonally this Saturday.
>
>--
>
>Regards,
>
>Jon Page
>No virus found in this incoming message.
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>12/11/2008 8:36 AM

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