help me with soundboard repair? CA of course!

[Michael Magness]

*The Rush To Use CA Every time On Everything*
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    I'm in my 38th year in this business and got the idea to go into it from
a stepfather who's still a good friend who's in his 65th year.
I use CA glue on occasion when it's warranted, to repair the odd cracked
flange, loose hammer on the grand I'm tuning for a concert with a curtain
less than 2 hours from then. I have also used it to tighten the tuning pins
in pianos that were marginally tunable or less. I don't use it to re-attach
every loose hammer I run across, repair cracked keys, glue soundboards back
to ribs or the myriad of other uses I've seen and read about here. Much of
piano work is about a measured, careful, studied craft. I find very little
of any of those things apply to a CA repair.
When I was preparing a Kawai GS-60 for a George Winston concert I discovered
17 loose hammers.
The piano is housed onstage in a Student Union and although it had a
Dampp-Caser system, undercover and regular cover. The Dampp-Chaser hadn't
been used for over a year, the cover hadn't been on the piano for at least
that long. I used a program from a previous function in the hall to pour out
a puddle of Titebond then removed all of the hammers I'd marked and cleaned
the old glue from the shank hole. I then did the same with the shanks then
using my now tacky Titebond re-glued them. Several of the holes were much
larger than the shanks so the tacky glue helped to fill the gap nicely. The
gaps in over half were too large for CA, even the thick CA to have filled, I
fear.

I have talked with others who seem shocked that I don't use it(CA) more but
it isn't reversible and it sets too fast in many cases, no working time. I
don't get things in perfect alignment everytime, first time! Apparantly
there are those who are perfect out there or they are willing to settle for
good enough in the interest of saving a few minutes, I know not which. I
just know when I reach for my glue bottle it's the one that says Titebond
90% of the time.


Life is like a piano what you get out of it depends on how you play it!




On 8/5/07, PAULREVENKOJONES <paulrevenkojones at aol.com> wrote:
>
>  Tom, I sent this about an hour and a half ago. Did you get it?
>
> Paul
>
>  Tom:
>
> Drill as many pilot holes with a small bit through the rib and soundboard
> on both sides of the crack as far as the rib/soundboard separation
> extends along the rib; the holes can be two, three, or four inches apart.
> Use a soundboard steel between the rib and soundboard as a stop and drill a
> 1/4" or 7/32" hole to accommodate a screw which will go through the rib
> without binding and extend a good quarter inch above the soundboard surface.
> Clean out rib/soundboard join with a side sharpened putty knife (take a 1"
> knife and sharpen a side edge on a belt sander). With a good spatula, apply
> carpenter's glue into the join between the rib and soundboard as far into
> the separation as you can. Install the screws with a washer to protect the
> rib surface starting from the farthest located hole in the rib from the
> crack; this will gradually pull the board and rib together without putting
> undo strain on the board or rib. Clean up all glue squeeze-out, please (I've
> seen so much sloppy repair over the years). Give it overnight to really
> setup. Remove the screws and with the same small bit you drilled the pilot
> holes carefully open up a small glue releasing hole in the soundboard. Plug
> the holes in the rib with either 1/4" dowel or 7/32" hammer shanks lightly
> tapping the glued plugs flush to the underside of the board. You should see
> squeeze-out on the soundboard surface. Clean up. Trim plugs flush with a
> fine Japanese flush-cutting saw, sand the plug end and rib to a smooth
> surface and zotz with shellac or lacquer; at least get some finish on the
> bare wood. You're done. The small holes in the soundboard can be cleaned and
> plugged from the top if you are concerned about appearance there.
>
> Paul Revenko-Jones
>
>  *"If you want to know the truth, stop having opinions" (Chinese fortune
> cookie)*
>
>
>
>  *"If you want to know the truth, stop having opinions" (Chinese fortune
> cookie)*
>
>
> In a message dated 08/04/07 23:14:51 Central Daylight Time,
> tvaktvak at sbcglobal.net writes:
>
>  Ron
>
> I like this.  This is also easy.  I could also do this.  And I feel better
> about getting the soundboard back into its proper position: against the rib.
>
> Just to understand completely...you drill the hole in the rib to let the
> glue in to the gap; the screw however, goes through the rib and INTO the
> soundboard.  Tightening the screw draws the soundboard into the rib; that's
> why the glue squeezes out.  Yes?  Leave the screw in for a little extra
> added insurance.  Yes?
>
> Perhaps dumb questions, but I do want to make sure I'm getting it right.
>
> Thanks,
> Tom
>
> *Ron Nossaman <rnossaman at cox.net>* wrote:
>
>
> > That's easy. I could do that.
> > The crack is visible. Thin viscosity CA glue would run right through
> > the separation.
> >
> > Shouldn't I try to move the soundboard back into the rib first? With a
> > clamp or something? Then apply the CA?
> >
> > Tom
>
> One of the admittedly few things I was taught that I would
> still do until something better shows up, is this repair. A
> soundboard steel slid between the rib and panel acts as a stop
> for the drill bit to keep it from going into the panel when
> you drill through the rib adjacent to the crack. Squeeze
> Titebond into the hole until you see it ooze out between rib
> and panel. Insert 1.25 sheetrock screw, and drive it into the
> panel, tightening until glue squeezes out around the rib/panel
> joint. Mop up squeeze out and walk. I much prefer mechanical
> fasteners and reestablishing joint alignment and contact with
> a wood glue to hosing down an area with CA and hoping for the
> best. Maybe it's just a lingering conviction that it ain't
> fixed until you've got some on your finger and clamped it
> together, but that's how I see it.
> Ron N
>
>
>
>
>
>



-- 
Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
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