brash failure

[Ron Nossaman]

 > Ron,
 > That was a GIANT leap!<G>

Joe,
Not at all. Brash, perhaps, but essentially the same thing.


 > Theoretically, I would say yes. However, Brash
 > Failure can occur in a short period of time and sometimes 
not in many
 > lifetimes. At least, that's been my experience. I've seen 
pianos from your
 > neck of the woods, 50 years old and have major wood 
integrity failure. And,
 > I've seen pianos from Eastern Oregon that look and act like 
their brand
 > new!

Yes, of course, we've all seen this stuff. You suggested 
breaking a (presumably typical?) 100 year old hammer shank, 
however, and finding brash failure. I don't know any reason 
the wood of the soundboard and bridges would be in any better 
condition than that of the shanks, do you? I realize that's 
not the point you were making, but thought it needed a dash of 
perspective in context.


 > Go figger. It's something to do with how the wood has been 
kept and
 > the original integrity of the wood, as well, IMO. The only 
consistency is a
 > total lack of consistency.<G>    My general approach is: to 
not trust any wood
 > older than 50 years until I've worked with it and can make 
an assessment of
 > it's strength, etc. It's more of gut feeling than anything 
else. I have a
 > feeling you do the same, in one way or another.<G>
 > Regards,
 > Joseph Garrett, R.P.T.

I find plenty of reason to not trust wood of any age without 
some assessment. I just wish I had ways to assess it more 
accurately.
Ron N