Making Wood upper Bass Bridge

[MR STEPHEN R HAASCH]

        After two failed tries by a piano supplier, I was left to making my
own bass bridge.
QUESTION--
        1.  Are all piano's basically made to same standards of string
width?  At first I assumed so because supply houses provide a string spacer
and offer only one size.  Maybe not so though.
                A.  This piano seems to have a spacing of 7/16 inch for
each string ie: set of strings.  Is this a norm?  The 28 strings seem to
have a total width of 12.25 inches based upon hanging threads from A-1 to
the 28th pair pin.
                B. Why would the hammer not hit string 11 of the first
pair.  1. The bridge board was offset 1/4 inch to the right from original
mounting.  2. the Pins were pulled to the right 1/8 to 1/16 of an inch.
Did I answer my own question?
        2.  Is it normal to mount the bridge board and then to drill and
mount the pins one by one?  Was suggested to me by the piano supply house.
It would seem to me I should be able to pre drill and insert pins if I
calculate to a standard.  The bottom pins are regular in the bottom of the Piano.
SUGGESTION TO OTHERS:
        In making your own board, use a 1 to 1 1/2 inch wide band sander
and disk sander on a bench machine to shape your board.  It goes fast and
is easy to control.
        Use a dremel tool with barrel sander to cut the shelves leading
down from the pins.  It is fairly easy to control the angle and slope.

I appreciate your input.