Ah yes.... who am I... ahem... I am a pianist/composer who has chosen to make his living as a artisan woodworker... I work in my own woodshop (Boston area) and am basically a master woodworker, really knowing wood, how to work it and how it behaves...For work I've been reproducing historic windows, curved and so forth for the last 20 years in my 1 man shop at the top end of the this particular niche, slowly working my way over to piano rebuilding/redesign, with a particular interest in small grands(believe it or not). I am slowly going through a self-directed apprenticeship in piano rebuilding/redesign... By self-directed I mean the woodworking and engineering skills are already highly developed, but I'm carefully selecting who I want to help fill in pieces of the piano knowledge base that need developing. To that end, I'm in the Boston chapter and also have access to the NH chapter, so I can fit particular questions to rebuilders with particular strengths. Also had Del Fandrich do a full redesign (board, rib scale, optimised string scale, new treble and bass bridges) of a Chickering 122 which I am completely rebuilding as a learning tool..very helpful. As well, I'm combing the archives for morsels, and reading anything I can get my hands on, and bugging techs as necessary. Along those lines, I asked Del a couple of weeks ago to consider offering a week long redesign workshop, ie, not so much the hands on part of how to build the design, but the engineering/artistic concepts behind the spreadsheets and designs. If any body else is interested in something like this, if Del knew there was in interest, it might convince him to seriously consider doing it...maybe.. Anyway, that's the short of it. Thanks for asking. Jim I Clear. Simple. Bam. Thank you, o mystery guest. WHO ARE YOU, JIM I? Some educated Rastafarian shaman from another dimension? Please tell us about yourself and your piano story/passion/business. Best, and welcome---- David Andersen Malibu, California
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