structural members

[ANRPiano@AOL.COM]

List,

Recently I acquired on interesting example of cut corners.  The subject is a 
1930ish Lyon & Healy 5' 6" grand piano.  For those not from the Midwest, Lyon 
& Healy was for most of the 20th century the premier music/piano store in the 
Chicago area.  They handled all makes and models and types of musical 
instruments including their own line of stencil pianos.  As with so much in 
our beloved business the older examples of the these the better.  I had tuned 
this piano a couple times several years ago and told the owner about the 
completely shot pinblock and mentioned the possibility of rebuilding it but 
because of their lack of interest never took a closer look at this beastie.  
Well, they moved and decided to donate it too their favorite tuner.

After getting it to the shop I figured I had better take a closer look to see 
if this thing was worth the floor space it was now occupying.  Looking from 
the top I see 5 nose bolts and figure this piano may indeed have some 
potential.  I crawl under the piano and I see 4 nose bolts coming through the 
soundboard and ending in midair!  Fortunately, (I think), one of them 
actually landed in the on and only 2 1/2" wide strut.

Being one never to avoid a trip to the university (of hard knocks) if I can 
help it, I think I will keep this thing and try to beef up the strut 
arrangement and see if maybe there isn't a decent piano underneath it after 
all.  I have plenty of large, seasoned boards with which I could build the 
glued up struts with.  My questions are: 

1) What kind of strut organization is most desirable?  Is a fan better 
generally or worse than a post and beam?  How would I determine which is more 
appropriate?

2) What is the best means of attaching the struts?  Tongue and grove, dowel, 
or . .?

3) Should the termination points of the struts correspond with the plate 
struts?

4) What kind of issues are most critical in determining the cross section of 
the new beams?

I would like to attach all the nose bolts to a beam, since I am sure in 
original design of the piano they were there.  I will gladly remove and 
change the one original beam if it doesn't fit the new configuration.

I know this is off the beaten path of even most rebuilders but this inquiring 
mind sure is curious.

Andrew Remillard