back problems

[Ron Nossaman]

>  As I progressed into the bass region I started hearing 
> funny sounds and then it let go right where I had glued it. 

Always bolt. There's no way you're going to get a glue joint 
(especially one previously contaminated by the original glue joint 
that DIDN'T HOLD) to hold without hardware. As I've said before - 
it's the bolts that hold the repair together, not the glue.


>Before 
> catching my airplane I ordered 6" flat head 5/16" machine screws from 
> McMaster - Carr in order to drill and bolt all the way through and put 
> washers and nuts out the back side. 

Carriage bolts, and washers with holes big enough to fit around the 
square part of the bolt shank. BIG footprint! Heap tough to suck 
into the wood of the back with screw pressure.


>I just finished doing that and can't 
> seem to close the gap all the way. 

You probably can't at this point. Try it with the C clamp and see if 
it's even possible. It doesn't matter what kind of glue you put in 
there now, if it ever did. The crack is lined with fresh hide glue, 
so the holding power is limited to the bond between fresh hide clue 
and old hide glue, or fresh hide glue and whatever you use this 
time. Still, the bolts are what counts, so it really isn't much of a 
concern.

The pictures in the attachment are
> what it looks like now. Any thoughts? Would it be completely wrong to 
> drill a new hole in the raised trim of the plate? Just one would draw it 
> together I'd bet but it seems a little dicey to drill there.

I wouldn't drill directly through that raised perimeter (flange), 
but I'd go just under it. If the gap doesn't close all the way, fill 
it with something that cures hard to hide it, and move on. The 
repair will be a good one, and will outlast the rest of the piano.

Ron N