Loose Plate bolts = ?

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Barrie Heaton wrote:

> Ron:
>
> I have a colleague in Lancashire.  Who I keep threatening to buy a big
> screwdriver for him. If he re-strings a piano he never tightens his
> bolts up properly.
>
> The effects it has is piano drops in pitch overall, piano is harder to
> pitch more passes,  because of the seesaw movement of the plates.
>
> I would personally think that the lose plate screws would amplify the
> seasonal humidity change due to the rocking of the plate.  Of course,
> the plates I have to tighten up can be as much as 2 - 3 turns on some
> bolts, and only one turn on others.
>
> I would have to agree with you if you are doing just a quarter of a turn
> I wouldn't think this will effect the overall stability of tuning like
> humidity change does.
>
> Barrie.

------------------------------------

Barrie,

This is another issue.  These screws are abnormally loose.  The practice Ron (and
I, in my Journal article) is objecting to is the one of always tightening the
plate bolts/screws every time the piano is tuned.  In my Journal article I
pointed out that these bolts/screws are "loosening" due to fluctuations in
humidity.  If someone keeps "tightening" them, sooner or later they are going to
strip out.  Especially so in pianos using those ubiquitous "select hardwood"
rims.

Del