Titanic's Pianos

[Ted Simmons]

While we're on the subject of good movies, I just came back from watching
"As Good As It Gets" with Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt.  It was a terrific
movie and in it Jack Nicholson plays a grand piano that is so out of tune
it will make your skin crawl. Must be a low-budget movie.  I recommend it
highly in spite of the piano.

Ted Simmons


. >>The Titanic is at 13,500 feet and it was stated water pressure at this
>depth is something like 3,000 pounds per inch. (Not exactly sure about the
>3,000 figure.) So here is the question. What would happen to the soft wood
>of the keys at this depth? Imagine putting a piano key in a hydraulic press
>at 3,000 pounds. It would probably be crushed. What would happen if the
>pressure was applied on all sides? Would the soft wood be reduced to a
>smaller size? So what would happen to other various wood componets of the
>piano in the Titanic? The rim, frame, pin block and some cabinets parts
>could probably remain intact. Maybe a 5/16 inch thick soundboard might
>compress to maybe 1/8 inch. The water pressure would be 3,000 psi on both
>sides.
>>
>>If the key sticks crushed, then the ivories would probably come off. The
>ivory could probably take the pressure. Consider the felt hammers. Under
>this immense pressure the hammers diminsions would probably less than one
>half their size. It's hard to comprehend just how the pressure would effect
>the wood and felt. Maybe some of you physics buffs can enlighten us.
>>
>
>Roger Jolly
>Balwin Yamaha Piano Centres.
>Saskatoon/Regina.
>Canada.