MH BB Pinblock

[Fenton Murray]

Baldwin grands with vertical hitches, the plate can be pulled
fully strung, as the block is attached only to the plate.
Would you dowel and glue the block to rim and stretcher in
these pianos?
No, I would not, Ron, but I have no experience with vertical hitches.  I 
don't think I've ever full fitted a block that wasn't done that way 
originally, although I certainly have thought about it on some better pianos 
like Knabe. My original question to you was regarding the elimination of 
this design feature in a rebuild, although I know that was not David Love's 
question. I have seen this done many times on Steinways, the new block not 
glued to the stretcher. Big no no, or no no no. I enjoy the woodworking and 
could never bring myself to not reglue a full fit block simply because it 
would look so cheesy, and cheesy is bad design, and never as strong, and 
sounds bad.
Fenton
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Nossaman" <rnossaman at cox.net>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 02, 2008 8:16 AM
Subject: Re: MH BB Pinblock


>
>
>> but
>>> not the stretcher (which I see no benefit to), on reassembly.
>> Ron,
>> Why do you say that?
>> Fenton
>
> In pianos that had the block glued to the stretcher, I glue back to the 
> stretcher. If not, I don't unless I think it needs the structure, which I 
> typically don't. If I thought the plate and pinblock were too flimsy and 
> vibration lossy, I'd brace the plate to the belly rail and help both. For 
> instance, in Baldwin grands with vertical hitches, the plate can be pulled 
> fully strung, as the block is attached only to the plate. Would you dowel 
> and glue the block to rim and stretcher in these pianos?
> Ron N
>
>