Pleyel Grand with warped front rail.

[tune4u@earthlink.net]

First question, is the rail warped or is the keybed itself, or (erk) both?

I've also seen discussions on shimming somewhere. Reblitz maybe?

You cut kerfs and either shim and glue or close up the kerf and glue
depending on which way you are moving the wood. Where you cut depends on
which way you are trying to move the wood, I would think.

If it is the front rail itself and the rest of the frame is square, I think
I'd go get a straight, flat board and duplicate the rail. You could maybe
remove the pins from the old rail, drill the old pin holes completely
through, firmly clamp the old one on top of the new one--all lined up--and
use this as a jig to locate and drill the new pin and screw holes.

OR could the original rail be removed and straightened with steam then
reinstalled?

My ramblings, for what they may be worth ...

Alan Barnard
Salem, MO

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On
Behalf Of Robin Olson
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2003 9:28 PM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Pleyel Grand with warped front rail.


       I recently worked on a roughly 100 year old Pleyel grand in of
all places,(where else but)the French Ambassador's residence here in
Washington DC.Somewhere along the line it has been restrung and and
partially rebuilt.The problem is that the front rail only contacts the
key bed on the ends.In the middle it is bounceing up and down causeing
power loss and letoff and after touch proplems unless you play pretty
hard.There are no adjustable glide bolts either on the key frame or
the bed.Sanding the front rail seems like a long and possibly futile
method.I seem to recall a method of cutting a saw curf in the front
rail to help lower the rise in the middle.Is this done from the top of
the rail,or bottom,or both.Do you shim and glue or just leave an open
slit in the front rail.I look forward to the lists opinions and
experience in this.                       Thanks Robin Olson RPT



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