Bechstein question

[John Delacour]

At 3:19 pm -0500 20/12/06, BobDavis88 at aol.com wrote:

>I have a friend who is not on the list, who has a 1908 Bechstein 
>model B to service. It is below pitch, and he would like to know if 
>anyone knows of any inherent structural problems inherent in this 
>model. I checked the archives, and there were several messages 
>indicating that the models A, B, C, and V from this period were 
>indeed prone to plate cracks; some leading to complete failure and 
>some not.

Inspect all the bars where they meet the wrestplank web.  That is 
where the cracks develop because the design of the casting, with very 
tight angles, leads to internal stress at these points.  Not only 
that, Bechstein is reputed to have used "green" castings, that is 
castings that had not been properly weathered.  I presume they 
sometimes (or often?) broke the rules in order to supply the huge 
demand there was in those days.  I had a B once where the tail of the 
metal frame rose more than two inches from the framing when I undid 
the frame screws.  Frightening!  While I have seen many Bechsteins 
with cracks in the bars, there are many still going strong and 
without cracks.  Raising the pitch ought not to increase the risk; 
the most likely thing to produce a crack is probably to unstring the 
piano.  The chances are that if there are no cracks already it will 
survive.

JD