I've been buying my last few bags from Vacu-Press http://www.vacupress.com/vacuumveneering.htm . The one in the picture is an older one that I can fit an entire soundboard panel in. The last bag I ordered is a custom sized bag - I think it is about 60 inches by 30 inches - to easily accommodate my largest rib caul. Too big a bag is not really any detriment as they evacuate quite quickly - less than a minute or so. I've used other bags - ones with a zip-lock type seal and didn't like them (wood dust gets in the zip closure and makes it difficult to close. The Vacu-Press closure system is very simply and easy to keep clean - work very well. I don't cut the spruce any particular thickness. I simply aim to have at least five or six laminations in a rib. Five or six laminations pretty much guarantee that you will have no noticeable springback - fewer laminations will produce springback, which makes it difficult to predict final rib radius. So I may have five laminations in one rib and nine in another - all depends on what cuts I have laying around. If I am cutting new wood for a rib project I aim for six laminations. 15mm is about the shortest rib I use - so five 3mm laminations will go into a short rib like that. If my rib is to be 28mm tall, I'd cut them 4 or 5mm thick, glue 'em up, and plane down to final rib height (after ripping) and end up with 6 or 7 laminations. I really doesn't matter - use enough laminations to avoid springback and don't use so many that your rib consists of more glue than wood. "do you use a different pattern ( radius) and lenght?" Different than what? Different than the original? Yup. I am not a piano designer. I just cut and glue. All the piano bellies that I have installed in my shop and all the ribbed soundboards that I have built for other rebuilders have been built to the design specifications of Del Fandrich. Yes, different rib array, different rib dimensions, different rib crown radius (multiple radii), different rib tapering and with little exception, different rib function. And of course, all these differently designed ribs are glued to a different designed soundboard panel, which in turn is glued into a modified piano rim. The fabulous work that Ron Nossaman is doing has many things in common with Del Fandrich's approach to piano design work. I don't mean to come across with a condescending tone, but are you new to this list? If so, WELCOME!! I only ask that because there has been voluminous discussion in the past about these topics. A search of the pianotech archives will yield tons of info. The picture below is a full-sized display model of a typical Fandrich-designed soundboard system. Because it is light and portable - I bring it to conventions and the like for display purposes - I call it my "Porta-Belly" (and no Del, it is not a "porta-potty"! - sorry, private joke - of sorts). Hope this helps. Terry Farrell Farrell Piano www.farrellpiano.com ----- Original Message ----- Hi Terry " Maestro" it's very interesting the vacuum sistem. (I fall in love) some question: do you use a specific vacuum bags? (how big) how thick you cut the slice of spruce? and do you use a different pattern ( radius) and lenght? thank for your time Marco -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20070706/ce7ecd59/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 54399 bytes Desc: not available Url : https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20070706/ce7ecd59/attachment-0001.jpe
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