Square Grand Scaling Question

[Richard Brekne]

Thanks muchly Stéphane.

As far as I can tell, the highest few notes are origional, and they are
marked size 2 (your 0.46) below, my micrometer reads 0.65 tho... and
even if I subtract a tad as suggested in the restringing bible, I dont
get down that far. Hard to tell for sure whether they are origional or
not... the instrument has been fooled with quite a bit, and most of the
unwound strings have been replaced.

This is a square piano made in the early 1800's for a Danish Company
"C.Lose", probably by danish craftsman,,,, but could be german or dutch
when it comes down to it, no way of knowing as far as I have been able
to discern so far.

I suppose in the end I'll have to play a guessing game as you suggest
below. Tho the figures you give below may be a good place to start, even
tho the table names no half-sizes.

Thanks again.

RicB


I suppose in the end I will have to do as you suggest below, try and see
what works best / sounds best. 

Stéphane Collin wrote:
> 
> Hello Richard.
> 
> Here is a table of diameters for iron strings in use at the end of the 18th century (referred to as Thomée's Nuremberg gauge system by Michael Latcham).
> 
> 9/0   1.10 mm
> 8/0   1.06
> 7/0   0.97
> 6/0   0.87
> 5/0   0.83
> 4/0   0.76
> 3/0   0.66
> 2/0   0.60
> 1/0   0.56
> 1      0.51
> 2      0.46
> 3      0.41
> 4      0.37
> 5      0.32
> 6      0.28
> 
> But you must keep in mind that this was not absolute : on six pianos by Hofmann, at different times, the gauge number 7/0 for example was 1.02 mm in 1784, 1.15 in 1785,  1.05 in 1790, 1.02 in 1795, 0.99 in 1800.
> 
> Also, in those times, a bulk of so called 7/0 wire was not constant of diameter, nor perfectly cylindric.
> 
> Better rule for stringing such old instruments, methinks, is to play the game like they did : try which diameter sounds best at that place, without breaking too soon.
> 
> Regards
> 
> Stéphane Collin
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Richard Brekne" <Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no>
> To: "Newtonburg" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 4:11 PM
> Subject: Square Grand Scaling Question
> 
> |
> | Hi folks
> |
> |
> | On this square I am doing there are what appear to be some kind of
> | string size numbers, but I havnt run into these before so I thought I'd
> | ask.
> |
> | The highest notes end with 2. an octave or so down comes 1. then we go
> | over to 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0 and 5/0. There are a few 1/2 marks  inbetween
> | all whole sizes.
> |
> | Does anyone know the wire size these translate into ?
> |
> | Cheers
> |
> | RicB
> |
> | --
> | Richard Brekne
> | RPT, N.P.T.F.
> | UiB, Bergen, Norway
> | mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
> | http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html
> | http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html
> | _______________________________________________
> | pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> |
> |
> 
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives

-- 
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
UiB, Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html
http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html