[CAUT] Outsourcing bellywork

[David Ilvedson]

How can he set the bearing with the plate?   

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Paul T Williams" <pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu>
To: caut at ptg.org
Received: 9/24/2009 10:39:58 AM
Subject: [CAUT] Outsourcing bellywork


>Hi List,

>When shipping a piano out for new soundboard,bridges, and pinblock, is it 
>necessary for the bellyman to have the plate delivered with the body of 
>the piano?  I've never thought about this when shipping a piano out since 
>it's always had the plate.  Do they need to put the plate back in after 
>the new "equipment" has been installed for proper plate heights, pinblock 
>holes, etc. ?  This may be a really obvious answer to you and it may be 
>that I'm not thinking correctly. 

>I've pulled the plate from this 1924 Steinway L this morning to discover 
>some ugliness that may not be worth repairing by shimming or epoxying, the 
>bridge string grooves are pretty ugly and the pinblock is not the best of 
>shape, but probably treatable.  If the outsourced tech didn't need the 
>plate, I thought of trying my hand at rebronzing/spraying or what-have-you 
>myself while the rest of the case is gone.  I'm doing the action rebuild 
>too.

>Thanks in advance for your wise words.

>Paul