Interesting H.F.Miller Upright

[PNOTNR@AOL.COM]

Thanks Del,

I had considered, ask you said  in your response, that the scale designers 
might not have known what thay were up to.

Using the scaling software I have, I've been able to improve the scale a lot, 
but it would call for a substantial increase in tension (32,000 lbs. to 
35,500 lbs.)  Is there a way to determine whether a plate can take the 
additional stress?

I also have a redesigned scale for this piano (from another Pianotech 
subscriber) that makes an improvement over the original, and only changes the 
tension about 200 lbs, but doesn't look as good (on paper) as mine, according 
to the sofware's suggested inharmonosity curve.

Thanks,

Gordon


In a message dated 03/25/2000 12:43:36 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
pianobuilders@olynet.com writes:

<< You are assuming that there was some semblance of reason to the original
 scale.  There might not have been.  What you are finding is quite common
 when looking at original scales from old pianos.
 
 Quite frequently the original scale was laid out by calculating just a few
 notes on the scale.  Typically every A and the end notes of each section.
 Sometimes the end notes were left out because it was felt that the bridge
 needed to be straight so that it did not 'impede the motion of soundwaves
 inside the bridge.'  Hence the extreme length changes across the break.
 
 Actually, very few piano makers even went this far.  For the most part they
 would simply copy the basic scaling from some other piano that they heard
 and liked.  Sometimes they would copy accurately and sometimes not.  If not,
 they would end up with some pretty wild scales.  I used to spend quite a lot
 of time trying to figure out what some old designer was up to with some of
 these scales when in fact they weren't up to anything.  They had no idea
 what they were doing, scaling wise.
 
 About the only thing you can do with some of these old scales is to make
 them less bad than they were originally.  Unless, of course, you want to
 make new bridges for the piano.  Then you can straighten out at least some
 of the worst of the problems.
 
 Regards,
 
 Del
 Delwin D Fandrich
 Piano Designer & Builder
 Hoquiam, Washington  USA
 E.mail:  pianobuilders@olynet.com
 Web Site:  http://pianobuilders.olynet.com/ >>