Pleyel Grand with warped front rail.

[Roger Jolly]

Hi Robin,
                   You make saw kerfs about every 6" and 2/3rds through the 
rail, alternately top and bottom.  Clamp both ends of the frame to a solid 
bench and glue in some veneer shims on the top side kerfs.  Leave the lower 
side kerfs open. The lower kerf should be cut at the crown of the warp.

I usually put a few thicknesses of veneer Under the crown of the warp 
before clamping, and dry fit the veneer shims, then check every thing out 
before gluing them in place.

Ops, just re read your post.  Put the shims under the ends of the frame and 
clamp down the centre, same procedure.

Regards Roger


At 10:28 PM 5/22/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>        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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