Too Much Crown?

[Farrell]

I would be very interested Del. Thanks for offering. I am also trying hard
to get to NC next month to take your new class. I hope I can make it work
out.

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Delwin D Fandrich" <pianobuilders@olynet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2000 11:40 AM
Subject: Re: Too Much Crown?


>
> Terry,
>
> I'm going to guess that this soundboard might have been made using crowned
> ribs.  (Yes, there were some enlightened builders in 1890 [or so]).  If
you
> have this kind of crown with this many cracks and other soundboard damage
> there must be some kind of curve machined into those ribs.  If so, you're
in
> luck.  You should be able to put the board back together and come up with
> some type of soundboard acoustical system that will work.
>
> (By the way, I'm writing an article that relates to this subject.  It's
not
> finished yet, but if you are not too far along with your project you might
> be interested.  Let me know.)
>
> Del
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: September 11, 2000 2:40 PM
> Subject: Too Much Crown?
>
>
> > Help! I just tore down a 1890 (or so) Estey 4' 10" grand. the other day.
> It
> > is actually a VERY heavily built piano - lots of framing. It is
> > full-featured - four sections, agraffes & capo.
> >
> > Anyway, the problem. The soundboard is totally trashed. It is really
> cracked
> > and the edges between planks are warped up where they have separated
from.
> I
> > have been drying the soundboard for about a week with a damp-chaser rod
> > underneath and sheets on top (real nice in there - about 95 degrees and
> 30%
> > relative humidity). I was routing out four or five of the 8 or 10 MAJOR
> > cracks when B-O-I-N-G, the tenor end of the treble bridge springs up and
> > just about sent me through the roof. The bridge end came up with a big
> chunk
> > of soundboard so that now there is a 1/4-inch gap between the soundboard
> and
> > ribs at the tenor end of the treble bridge (soundboard is cracked both
> sides
> > of bridge). IT'S HUGE.
> >
> > I stared at it for a while trying to figure it out. Got a string and a
> > straight edge out. Under the soundboard with the string measuring
> > perpendicular to soundboard grain and parallel with ribs, there is about
> 1/4
> > inch of crown in board (not really a crown, but rather a "V" with the
apex
> > under the treble bridge). Put the straight edge parallel with and
adjacent
> > to the treble bridge and WOW there is a whopping 11/16" of crown
parallel
> to
> > the soundboard grain and perpendicular to the ribs. If you sight down
the
> > treble bridge, it is fairly straight. It would appear that this is why
the
> > bridge end sprung up.
> >
> > I guess my question is if I bend the &$%#*@ out of the bridge, block the
> > ribs up (hey, we can put even more crown in this puppy!) and glue the
> > ribs/soundboard/bridge sandwich back together what might I have? Will it
> > likely stay together? Will this do something really wierd to the
> instrument
> > sound?
> >
> > Before you pros tell me what needs to be done, I know (new board,
bridges,
> > etc.). That will not happen for about 10,000 reasons no one want to hear
> > about. Either I will fix what is there, or I will have to tell the owner
> > that it cannot be fixed (the owner is capable of understanding zero - I
> have
> > tried in the past - she says "well, just do the best you can"). A large
> part
> > of what is bugging me is that I really don't want to have my finger
prints
> > of this one, but I am in too deep now. :-(
> >
> > Terry Farrell
> > Piano Tuning & Service
> > Tampa, Florida
> > mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
> >
>
>