compression vs rib crowning

[Richard Brekne]

Isaac OLEG wrote:

> I simply suspect that for someone which is not trained in piano design
> it takes years of sounboard building and installing to finish with its
> own relatively clear understanding of the relations between parts ,
> building method and installing method. A very very few people that
> where able to appreciate all the relations involved between design,
> material, tone idea, downbearing .

I would certainly have to agree with this point. For the rest of us we
simply have to rely on what those few have to say on the matter, and what
little we are able to ascertain ourselves. What amazes me tho, is that
despite claims of science, physics, and knowledge on every concievable
side of this fence... there are major players that seem quite at odds of
some very fundemental points. Clearly, mutually exclusive veiwpoints are
not unifiable... so somebody(s) are either just plain wrong, or carried
away in their conclusions. For the unitiated.... its entertaining as well
as confusing.

>
> Beside, for the most workshops are not laboratory condition, so it is
> not always possible to recreate the perfect same condition from board
> to board.
>
> Just some 2 cts thoughts...
>
> Isaac OLEG
>
> Isaac OLEG
>
> Entretien et réparation de pianos.
>
> PianoTech
> 17 rue de Choisy
> 94400 VITRY sur SEINE
> FRANCE
> tel : 033 01 47 18 06 98
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>
> > -----Message d'origine-----
> > De : pianotech-bounces@ptg.org
> > [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]De la
> > part de Brian Trout
> > Envoyé : mardi 11 mars 2003 05:59
> > À : pianotech@ptg.org
> > Objet : Re: compression vs rib crowning
> >
> >
> > Hi Terry,
> >
> > It's been a long time since Brandon University, but if I
> > remember right,
> > Andre made his boards with some crown cut into the ribs and
> > the rest of the
> > crown coming from soundboard panel compression.  I don't
> > think he ever gave
> > exact numbers, at least not at the seminar we were at.  (If
> > I had to take a
> > guess, I'd probably guess maybe somewhere around an 80'
> > radius, but that's
> > pure speculation, nothing more.)
> >
> > That being said, I think I'd have to agree that he's not exatly
> > "duplicating" what was there but may be ending up with a
> > product that he
> > believes is an acceptable replacement.
> >
> > Whether Andre changes his setup for different pianos I
> > don't know if he
> > himself would tell you.
> >
> > I say if you're going to change it at all, and anything
> > less than sending it
> > back to S&S's restorations department would be 'changing'
> > it, you might as
> > well do it to the best of your ability.  And if the best of
> > your ability is
> > radically different than original Steinway specs, so be it.
> >  Of course that
> > is predicated on your customer's desire and approval and also their
> > financing.
> >
> > Regardless of whether you can build Ferrari engines, some
> > people will never
> > want more than the Chevy Chevette engine... 'cause that's
> > what was in it
> > when it was built.  Different ears will perceive things
> > differently.  What
> > some would call a sweet, pure, 100 year old Steinway
> > soundboard tone, others
> > might call thin, nasal and lacking body of tone.  I won't
> > go so far as to
> > say either group is wrong.  But I know what my ears tell me
> > I like.  (And
> > it's not the old one...)
> >
> > To each his own.
> >
> > Just my opinion.
> >
> > Brian T.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > >From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> > >Reply-To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > >To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > >Subject: Re: compression vs rib crowning
> > >Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 23:32:03 -0500
> > >
> > >So are you saying that Andre builds his boards just like
> > Steinway? And what
> > >does he do when he gets an order for an 1892 Knabe
> > soundboard, or an A. B.
> > >Chase, or a Chickering, a Mason & Hamlin, a Decker Bros.,
> > etc. Does
> > >everyone make soundboards exactly the same? How does he
> > know what the
> > >radius cut into each rib was originally? Or the MC at the
> > time of rib/panel
> > >glue-up? I'm not picking on Andre, but anyone that
> > "duplicates" old
> > >soundboards. I say you can't do it unless you know exactly
> > what the radius
> > >of each rib was, the radius of any mold used during
> > rib/panel glue-up, and
> > >the MC of the panel at rib/panel glue-up. Perhaps for
> > Steinway, one can
> > >duplicate a board as this stuff I think is known. But I
> > really don't think
> > >any of that is known about piano companies that went out
> > of business 100
> > >years ago.
> > >
> > >So. How does Andre Bolduc or anyone else "duplicate" those
> > boards? I say
> > >that they redesign them while keeping the appearance of
> > the originals.
> > >
> > >Terry Farrell
> >
> >
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--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
UiB, Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html