[pianotech] Guess what I have in my shop?!

[Terry Farrell]

Hi Joe - comments interspersed below:

> 
> Terry the Farrell said: 
> "HOT DOG! 1867 Steinway square. Likely will not be pulling plate. Doing
> some bridge repairs, restringing, dampers, full action rebuild. Case is
> nearly flawless. Should be nice when done....."
> 
> Joe Garrett wrote:
> I would strongly suggest you pull the plate and do pinblock route/replace!

Well, I hadn't decided what I'm gonna do there. The pins are original with maybe 30 in-lbs. torgue (not tight, but good enough to tune it). I could just go one size up, or I was thinking of maybe plugging through the plate. Never done that before, but I was toying with trying it. I've plugged square blocks before when I've pulled the plate out - I like doing that - but I am not planning on yanking the plate on this one.

Any comments on this?

> Cap the bridges..don't just "mess with it"!

Well, being that this is sort-of an economy job, and I wasn't intending on pulling the plate, I was thinking more along the lines of a good epoxy repair.

> If the dampers are reasonably functional..leave them alone. If not, then
> duplicate EXACTLY what is there. DO NOT put modern Wedge type dampers on
> it! (PLEASE???!!!)

Sounds reasonable. Curious though - why not use wedges?

> Do a scale evaluation and reset it for 440cps. Use
> 435cps as your criteria for the initial scale run...then change that
> perameter. 

Yup. Already planning on that.

> Hmmm? And where are you going to get the action parts for this "full action
> rebuild"???Hmmmm?<G>

Well, okay, I guess I was exaggerating a bit - how 'bout "fairly thorough"? Hammer butts and jacks are in pretty good shape - I think it will regulate quite well with the originals. New hammers though. Somebody replaced the hammers - looks like normal grand hammers and some grade-schooler went at them with a dull knife to shape them.......  :-(

> Yes, it will be "nice when done"....properly. Try a
> Victorian Temperament to really get the full enchilada.<G>

Like what?

> BTW, I wouldn't get up on replacing the board, since that thing was flat 2
> days after it was installed. (scope out the ribbing//rim mounting, etc. and
> you'll get what I mean. On those, it really doesn't matter. Ya gets what ya
> gets.

Oh, come on, I was just about to head out to my shop and start laminating some 4 M ribs for the new board! Let's see...... 4M ribs up by the treble, 15M ribs in the bass area - oh, wait a minute - the bass IS at the treble end!!!!!! What to do?????  Yeah, original board will stay. I've torn into a few of these before and very quickly realized that there never was any crown to those boards - at least not after they were strung in the factory. Board is in good shape - no cracks - besides, why would I want to tear the soul of the piano out?  ;-)

Terry Farrell
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