> I just read something in an old report I've been looking at that strikes me as > odd. Basically it says that piano builders put as many as three or four twists > in bass strings to increase the tensile strength of the core wire. > > Does this ring any bells? Does anyone know of a piano manufacturer doing this > (twisting bass strings this much)? Is anyone out there metallurgist enough to > know if there is any validity to this claim? > > Del No, bells are different. Twisting them just breaks 'em. I'm no metallurgist, but it will certainly increase tensile STRESS. I don't see how it could possibly increase tensile STRENGTH. Perhaps it seemed to increase tensile strength because the twisted wire didn't stretch as far under tension as an un-twisted wire. Rats! Another thing on the R&D list to test some day. Otherwise, it sounds like yet another of those old revered truths that everyone accepts as fact until someone actually tries to rationally and scientifically verify it. Maybe helps, maybe not - depending. Ron N
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