Help scaling

[Michael Spalding]

Jason,

Here's a few thougts to get you started:

Yes, replace the plate and measure to the nearest mm.  Pscale and Arledge both work with metric lengths.

If the plate hasn't been cleaned up or refinished yet, you may be able to see which tenor/treble hitch pins had tied loops.  They're usually next to a strut.  If you can't tell, you'll have to cound hitch pins and do the math (3 pins for each 2 notes means no tied loops, more pins means tied loops).

Non-destructive hole measurement might be hard to accomplish, since you're dealing with a rough surface, and a compressible material.  Also, no guarantee they're all the same size.  If you're comfortable with over-sized pins, you might drill/ream to the appropriate diameter.  Or do one of the epoxy fill or hardwood plug repairs that have been discussed here.  (You didn't mention budget restrictions??)

Bass scaling.  This is fun, and I think you would enjoy working this problem.  But, if you just send your tracings to James Arledge, he will do the scaling analysis and send a set of super strings.

have fun

mike


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Jason Kanter 
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: 7/31/2006 9:38:02 PM 
Subject: Help scaling


List,
I have the task of restringing this Schaff baby grand (see small pic). Unfortunately all scaling information was discarded, along with the old strings and tuning pins, before I showed up. No idea what sizes any of the strings were, nor what gauge the tuning pins were. Also, the plate has been removed (though fortunately not discarded!). I have never done a scaling analysis but am possessed of a very analytical mind, so I am eager to do as much of this as I can myself. But please: what are the steps?

Here are my assumptions.
I will need to replace the plate so that I can take measurements of the speaking lengths, probably to nearest mm or 32nd. (.01"?)
I'll need an app like ScaleMaster or Pscale to crunch some numbers. 
I will need to examine the pin block to determine tuning pin size. (Can I measure a hole nondestructively, i.e. without pounding a pin into it?)
I'll need some kind and experienced mentor-type soul to review my analysis before I go to the step of ordering bass strings.

Any help out there?

Thanks

Jason Kanter
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