David Ilvedson wrote: >One important aspect of service is to tighten all bench hardware every so often. That will prolong the life of a bench. > >David I. > > > > Yes, and of course we know this. But the University envioronment is just plain to rough on benches and one simply can not continuously tighten screws on all the benches we have (some 60 all told). They get checked with each tuning, and by the time the next check is made things have loosened up again. The wear and tear curve is just plain too steep. So... we are faced with either buying very very expensive benches (which is out of the question), looking for an alternative, or simply changing over to non adjustable seats of some sort or another. Cheers RicB > > >>We at the University of Bergen are just about ready to replace 30 >>adjustable benches and are leaning heavily towards the Japanese >>adjustable chair type instead of benches. The adjustment mechanism seems >>very simple and durable, and they do not cost more then some of the >>mid-range to less expensive benches. Our experience at the conservatory >>here is that benches generally last about 6 months before they are >>creaking, squeeking, and making all manner of noises. The amount of >>service required to keep them quiet becomes quickly too time consuming >>for our purposes. >> >> > > > >>Your suggestion then intriques and I would like to know more before we >>go further. Would you have any pictures or diagrams to show exactly what >>your solution is ? >> >> > > > >>Cheers >>RicB >> >> > > > >>Elwood Doss wrote: >> >> > > > >>>While this piano bench thread is active, let me tell you about our >>>practice room piano benches. We purchased new Baldwin Studio pianos >>>for our practice rooms—please, no comments about the quality of the >>>pianos—about 5 years ago and year before last the custodian for our >>>building started bringing broken benches into my shop. I do check the >>>tightness of the bolts on a regular basis—snug, but not too tight--but >>>the students began bending the bracket that the leg screw tightens on. >>>After about 3 had shown up in the shop, the Chair asked me to look >>>into purchasing new benches to replace them. I suggested benches with >>>stretchers on them—they were about twice the cost of the regular type >>>of benches. When they came in I took a look at the stretchers and >>>thought, “I can do that to the broken benches here in my shop.” Sure >>>enough, I designed one, used very dense wood from Africa, some good >>>wood screws and glue and went to work. It worked so well, my work >>>study students ended up retrofitting stretchers on all the practice >>>room pianos. They have held up beautifully, and no custodian meeting >>>me at the door holding a bench with a crooked leg! >>> >>>Now I’m sure all of you old heads do this all the time, but it was an >>>idea that paid dividends and saved the Department several thousand >>>dollars in new bench costs! No, I didn’t get the surplus as check bonus! >>> >>>Joy! >>> >>>Elwood >>> >>>Elwood Doss, Jr. M.M.E.; RPT >>> >>>Piano Technician/Technical Director >>> >>>Department of Music >>> >>>145 Fine Arts Building >>> >>>The University of Tennessee at Martin >>> >>>Martin, TN 38238 >>> >>>731/881-1852 >>> >>> >>> > > > >>_______________________________________________ >>caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> >> > >_______________________________________________ >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > >
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