Chickering

[Ron Nossaman]

>Ron;
> Unfortunately my description was not complete as your reply and the one from
>Frank shows :-(
>
>  This thingee is bent rim type construction, no flat side except the normal
>bass side. I say bent rim 'type' because this rim is made in four sections:
>A. One section runs from the bass cheek down the side to where the bend around
>the bass bridge starts. at this point the straight side is spliced onto.....
>B. Another piece which forms the back bow, until it passes the platform,
>treble side,  by four inches.  
>C. At this point there is a cut from top to bottom and another bent piece is
>butt spliced (60 degree angle) to it and this spliced piece runs around the
>remainder of the bend to the beginning of the straight side at the treble.
>D. At this point there is a shoulder block of solid material where the
>straight and bent side pieces form the bend at the treble.
>  The inner rim is made of shaped solid wood, pieced and joined. 
> Bent rim 'type', but ,..remember it is a Chickering :-)
>
><<"Is anything actually loose? Crack WIDENING?!!">>
> Yep and YES!
> The platform will come off but that still will not give me the access that I
>will need to clamp the area that will be needful of such.
>
> Normally I would say, "junk it" but in this case performance is not the main
>issue, appearance restoration is.......besides if they could build it that way
>'we' should be able to fix it huh? :-)
>Jim Bryant (FL)
>


Yo Jim,
Ok, if I'm seeing what you're seeing. Did you ever hear of biscuit joinery?
I believe I'd go ahead and clamp and glue the rim joint as best you can and
let it dry. Then try to cut some slots perpendicular to, and spanning the
joint. Glue maple splines, or actual joinery biscuits in the slots to get
some long grain joints across the original end grain butt joint and kind of
stitch the pieces together. Trim flush after the glue dries. If you have
room to get enough hands and tools in there to do it, and have, or can buy,
borrow, find, or invent the tools to do it, you can make a stronger joint
than the original. 

If it works, you get bragging rights, if not... I never heard of you. %-)

At the count of three, you will wake refreshed...

  
 Ron