rim separations & beam cracks

[Absolute Piano]

Hi Pat,

Are you referring to the spaces between the laminations of the rim or
between the rim and soundboard? Obviously, the latter would be more of a
concern to me. As for the stansions or beams, on rare occasions one may find
splitting near the screws for the blocks that hold the nosebolts. This
should have been addressed when the old board was removed because it could
affect the plate assembly. I'm working on a Baldwin L right now with that
exact problem. These are just work case scenarios and it is possible that no
further harm will result but at least you've covered your tracks.

Best wishes,

Jude Reveley, RPT
Absolute Piano Restoration, LLC
Lowell, Massachusetts
(978) 323-4545

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "J Patrick Draine" <jpdraine at gmail.com>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2007 4:19 PM
Subject: rim separations & beam cracks


> This morning I went out to tune a Steinway A, recently purchased
> several months ago at a major S&S dealership's "major concert venue
> special sales event". While originally manufactured in 1908, It had
> recently been fully rebuilt (new soundboard etc.). Anyway, I found a
> few hairline cracks in the lid as I was tuning it, and then as I was
> under the piano, starting to install a Dampp-Chaser system, I noticed
> a crack in one of the beams, and gaps/cracks in the rim. As I was just
> about to put some screws to secure the fill tube in the immediate
> vicinity of said cracks I decided to retreat from the installation,
> and inform the prevously blissful customer of my findings.
> I really don't know what level of implied or spelled out warranty the
> customer may have in this situation. It's certainly possible that
> these gaps & cracks will be/are stable, but I prefer to be cautious
> rather than blindly optimistic. The customer isn't a panicky type;
> she's on good terms with the sales person & I helped her compose an
> e-mail to the sales person informing the dealer of the situation.
> It seems to me an EZ but entirely stable repair would be for the
> dealer to take it back to the shop, flip the piano over, and fill the
> rim & beam cracks with low viscosity epoxy. I suppose a low viscosity
> glue can fix the cracks in the lid, too, followed by a couple more
> coats of ebony lacquer.
> Question to the rebuilder/remanufacturers/dealers out there: wouldn't
> you address these issues even if you're selling it as a used (at said
> concert & teaching complex) rebuilt piano?
> Put another way, am I being too "sensitive" in expecting some effort
> in filling the gaps in the rim in a structurally sound manner?
> Patrick Draine
>
>