NEW Steinway plate location holes

[lance lafargue]

Thanks very much to Stephen and Ed.  When the holes didn't match I was
really confused.  I have been to the factory but did not remember the steps
concerning these holes.  This Crown Jewel is truly a Jewel - a beautiful
piano.  I've worked on two lately, identical,  and both were very nice. 
Ed, it is amazing to consider the process. Thanks again...
LANCE LAFARGUE, RPT
LAFARGUE PIANO SERVICES
New Orleans Chapter
Mandeville, LA.
_________________________________
II III II III II III II III II III II III II III II III II III II
-----------------------------------------------------------
lafargue@iamerica.net

"Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to
make them all yourself."

----------
> From: Steinway & Sons <tech@steinway.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: RE: NEW Steinway plate location holes
> Date: Thursday, July 08, 1999 12:54 PM
> 
> Hello list,
> 
> I don't think we've ever answered a thread this quickly before, but I
> happened to be reading e-mail during lunch today.
> 
> Plate fit takes place immediately after coating of the case.  The plate
> flange is mated to the pinblock and the guide holes are made when the
> process is finished.  The holes are initially drilled into the braces. 
The
> piano then moves to soundboard fraizing, where the board is cut to the
exact
> shape of the rim.  The board is held above the piano during this
operation
> and lined up using the guide holes.  However, it is very difficult in
> production to line everything up perfectly. To accommodate, the actual
> bridge pattern is set directly off of a measurement from the V-bar during
> the bellying.
> 
> I hope this clears things up.  Lance, next time you are in New York stop
in
> for a tour and we will show you how it all comes together.
> 
> Yours,
> 
> Stephen Dove
> STEINWAY & SONS
> New York
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
> Of A440A@AOL.COM
> Sent: Thursday, July 08, 1999 10:19 AM
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: NEW Steinway plate location holes
> 
> 
> Lance asks:
> > SO, my
> >>question is, when are the holes drilled?  Why? Do they use it to
install
> >>the plate at the factory?  Is it used for after pulling the plate for
> >>restoration later?  Is it just for rough location or precise?
> 
> Greetings,
>     It was my understanding that the holes indexed the plate and
> soundboard(with bridges attached) together.  The fitting of the plate to
> installed pinblock occurs after the board is installed in the piano case,
> and
> the descrepancy in the holes lining up represents how much wood was
removed
> from the pinblock in order to fit it.
>      I would imagine that the initial indexing of the plate/board is
> "lengthened somewhat to accomodate this movement.  The width of the
bridge
> places some limitations on fore and aft tolerances, and the action has a
few
> demands on where that capo bar ends up.
>    It is amazing that they get these things put together at all!!
> Regards,
> Ed Foote