Hello List > How much room is available between the keybed and the bottom of the > pinblock/stretcher? > > Del Del, I LIED!!, but not intentionally-so please forgive my stupidity--- without carefully examining the piano I said that Kranich and Bach action cavities were not high. (I had heard this someplace and that styling was the reason for the paper thin flimsy keyframe and other action problems) This action is not so compressed as I thought so this gives me hope that replacement is possible. DISTANCE FROM LOWEST POINT OF PINBLOCK/STRETCHER TO KEYBED = 6 1/16" some areas are 6 and 3/32. OTHER FACTS Lenght of cavity--4'2" minus action return spring and Keyframe stop block (Correct term?) Length of action including keyframe and brackets = 4' 3/4" width of piano = 4'6 1/2" 4 Action Brackets exist with a max 18" span for the rails spaning the top two sections One unison is under a plate brace. Keys are not flared very much. Brackets screw into 5mm thich slats and feet are under keys. STRUCTURAL CONSIDERATIONS Pinblock is 1 and 1/4 or 1 and 3/8" thick 5/8" thick pinblock plate flange bears against two 5/8" thick plate horns both screwed to Belly rail. Plate crack begins next to plate flange near tenor break horn and moves towand the keyboard where it turns and meanders up the row of tuning pin holes closest to the keyboard. It goes almost to the next brace and enters no screw holes. Plate flanges, horns, braces- no cracks Row of several plate/pinblock screws exist on both sides of crack. Big screws go into stretcher no plate screws are on braces in pinblock area. Plate braces look very hefty. OTHER IDEAS/QUESTIONS YOU HAD FOR ME Converting to open face design would not totally eliminate the crack because it starts very near or at the pinblock flange. Structural problems could arise because plate screw holes are into the tuning pin webbing alittle, i.e surrounded on three sides by tuning pins. It would look funny to have only the mid range open face Open Face clearly woudn't work in the bass as plate screws are in webbing with and none on plate braces. Yes this both challenges and scares me. Replacing pinblocks is not new for me but rebuilding with a plate crack is. Never replaced a soundboard, don't have the knowledge, skills, or tools and am unlikely to invest for just that, since my calling is more and more away from rebuilding. The pinblock and new strings I can do for afew hundred dollars. Replacing the board and action, well --big bucks. Atleast the action could be done later. If I were rich, I'd just send you the piano and say "go be creative!" and give you a blank check but I don't have tens of thousands. However something should be done about tuning pins so loose that looking at them makes them jump down a fifth. -Mike Jorgensen Still thinking in Michigan
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