<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> David Skolnik wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE> Richard B - Yes, that's what I wanted to know.  You apparently do not use gauges, whether bubble or rocker or other. A little clarification would be helpful, as follows: How do you measure bridge height? When you say "before and after tension is let down", do you mean on a particular note?  </blockquote> I personally take a straight edge across the top edges of the case of the instrument and measure down from that. I said panel, and by that I mean soundboard. grin... easier to write out. <blockquote TYPE=CITE> <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>The way I do the second is perhaps what you are asking for. I run a taught cloth string from the tuning pin under the front termination and across the bridge and position the back height such that it just touches the bridge but is not deflected by it. Then I measure the distance to the string rest. Then I bring the string just down to where it touches the back edge of the bridge and measure again the distance to the string rest. Both measurements are taken on the normal (90 degrees) from the string rest. This gives enough to calculate  both the front bearing angle and rear angle.</blockquote> I don't understand this last statement.  Also, it's not clear to me if you are describing measuring  the bearing of a strung piano, or one which you are, or have destrung.  I was particularly curious about how you went about measuring the downbearing of a functional, or, using Ron N's parameters, a non-functional piano.</blockquote> Havent followed what Ron N means by a non-functional piano in this regard... but I suspect it is the same as meaning a destrung piano. Downbearing as I view it has to be measured that way.  You already know the tensions involved... you need to know the angles you are subjecting the wires under these tensions to. If you measure an instrument that is already strung and up to tension...then you need to know how much the panel has been pressed down as well to really know what the actual downbearing is.  Knowing both is valuable anyways I might add. As far as measureing from the normal of the string rest.... Think of taking a square and placing it on the string rest just before the hitch pin.....measurements are taken along that line. There are a couple good articles in past journals... I think Nick Gravagne (sp??) wrote a series in the late 80s that you should read. <blockquote TYPE=CITE>Hope you're not getting board with this.</blockquote> nope.... not even bored...grin. <blockquote TYPE=CITE> </blockquote> Cheers ! RicB -- Richard Brekne RPT, N.P.T.F. Bergen, Norway <A HREF="mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no">mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no</A> <A HREF="http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html">http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html</A>  </html>