List, Recently I acquired on interesting example of cut corners. The subject is a 1930ish Lyon & Healy 5' 6" grand piano. For those not from the Midwest, Lyon & Healy was for most of the 20th century the premier music/piano store in the Chicago area. They handled all makes and models and types of musical instruments including their own line of stencil pianos. As with so much in our beloved business the older examples of the these the better. I had tuned this piano a couple times several years ago and told the owner about the completely shot pinblock and mentioned the possibility of rebuilding it but because of their lack of interest never took a closer look at this beastie. Well, they moved and decided to donate it too their favorite tuner. After getting it to the shop I figured I had better take a closer look to see if this thing was worth the floor space it was now occupying. Looking from the top I see 5 nose bolts and figure this piano may indeed have some potential. I crawl under the piano and I see 4 nose bolts coming through the soundboard and ending in midair! Fortunately, (I think), one of them actually landed in the on and only 2 1/2" wide strut. Being one never to avoid a trip to the university (of hard knocks) if I can help it, I think I will keep this thing and try to beef up the strut arrangement and see if maybe there isn't a decent piano underneath it after all. I have plenty of large, seasoned boards with which I could build the glued up struts with. My questions are: 1) What kind of strut organization is most desirable? Is a fan better generally or worse than a post and beam? How would I determine which is more appropriate? 2) What is the best means of attaching the struts? Tongue and grove, dowel, or . .? 3) Should the termination points of the struts correspond with the plate struts? 4) What kind of issues are most critical in determining the cross section of the new beams? I would like to attach all the nose bolts to a beam, since I am sure in original design of the piano they were there. I will gladly remove and change the one original beam if it doesn't fit the new configuration. I know this is off the beaten path of even most rebuilders but this inquiring mind sure is curious. Andrew Remillard
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