Help on preparation for the written test... Paul

[Brian Trout]

Hi Paul,

You were speaking of setting a Baldwin plate.  I had to rebuild a newer
SF-10 last year due to water damage.  I was a little confused as to how that
plate was set at first, but Kent Webb visited our store just in time to tell
us how it's done.

The plate bolts are indeed bolts, not lag screws.  The plate has threaded
holes that the bolts go through, and there are also threaded mechanical
fasteners within the inner rim of the case.  Once the bolts are started into
both threaded portions, the plate height is set.  It will not move up or
down by tightening the bolt.  If you can picture having two nuts on that
bolt about 2 inches apart, and turning the bolt in the nuts 3 full turns,
the two nuts will still be 2 inches apart, provided they haven't been
stopped by the head or come off the end of the bolt.  That gives you the
basic concept.  To actually find the right setting for the plate, I used
some old packing straps from a piano crate and made some thin pieces of 3/4"
wide steel about 18" long (nothing critical here about dimensions).  I
placed them under the bolt coming down through the plate at several points
so that I could actually use the bolt to raise and lower the plate to the
height I wanted it to be.  Then I put in several bolts that went all the way
into the fasteners in the inner rim, and the height was set.  It wouldn't
move.  Then just back our the bolts over the steel a little, pull out the
steel, put in the rest of the bolts, and there it is.  I think it's a neat
setup, one of the things I like about the Baldwins.

Just had to chime in a bit.

Have a good day.

Brian Trout
Quarryville, Pa.
btrout@desupernet.net

.
>    #6 I agree your answer is correct.  Moving the plate closer to the
>soundboard/bridge will increase downbearing.  Look at a cutaway view of
>a grand piano and you will see this is true.  Baldwin uses a unique
>system where they adjust the downbearing on some models by using a
>straight vertical roll pin in place of the usual hitch pin.  By sliding
>the loop up and down the pin, you can increase or decrease the
>downbearing on any individual string.  In addition, by turning the plate
>perimeter bolts, you can raise or lower the plate without removing it.
>Never "tighten" these bolts as you might do on other models, lest you
>misadjust  the downbearing and perhaps crack the plate.
>       Best of luck,
>    Paul McCloud
>
>