plates, flying and otherwise

[Michael Magness]

On Dec 24, 2007 11:59 AM, John Ross <jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca> wrote:

>  *Just one little thing re shimming the hole.*
> *Hammer shanks would be end grain, which is not the best for screw
> holding, although the point might be mute, in large size screws.*
> *I prefer bolts, to be sure.*
>  John M. Ross
> Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
> jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Michael Magness <IFixPianos at yahoo.com>
> *To:* annie at allthingspiano.com ; Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
>  *Sent:* Monday, December 24, 2007 11:33 AM
> *Subject:* Re: plates, flying and otherwise
>
>
>
>  On Dec 23, 2007 6:54 PM, Annie Grieshop <annie at allthingspiano.com> wrote:
>
> >  Here's something that's been bothering me for a few days:  has anyone
> > on
> > this group actually been in the vicinity of a plate breaking?
> >
> > *Big snip*
> > **
> >
> > Annie Grieshop
> >
> >
> >
>
> Hi Annie,
>
> *Big snip*
>  **
> tightening.
> When I check perimeter bolts/screws if I find stripped ones I remove them,
> singly, use old broken hammer shanks split in half that I've saved for that
> purpose with a little titebond in the hole then I replace the bolt or screw.
>
>
> Mike
> -
> People who say it can't be done, should not interrupt those of us who are
> doing it.
> Michael Magness
> Magness Piano Service
> 608-786-4404
> www.IFixPianos.com <http://www.ifixpianos.com/>
> email mike at ifixpianos.com
>
> Hi Annie,

First let me answer John's comment, I'm not FILLING the hole then putting
the bolt back in. I'm talking about a bolt that turns and turns and turns,
So I add some pieces of hammer shank and Titebond alphiatic resin glue to
resize the hole to a slightly smaller diameter than the bolt threads. The
bolt is still gripping primarily the rim material it has always gripped with
some shards of maple added to tighten it up! I have run across pianos where
the whole bolt line was stripped, I used epoxy filler after clamping the
plate in place next to each bolt hole.

Now Annie, as I have stated before, I have NOT had a plate break while I was
tuning, thus far (he said knocking wood). As I begin my 39th year in this
business I like to believe, knowing the junk, derelicts and downright crap
I've worked on over the years that there is more than luck involved, perhaps
some skill? I am careful when I come across some of these gems to ascertain
if plate bolts are tight, if the plate is indeed at a 90 degree angle to the
floor in an upright or is it leaning out toward me? Is this a guarantee? No!
I've tuned a piano that rolled out of the back of a pickup, flipped over on
it's top, sat for 20 minutes through a cloudburst, then was reloaded and
moved the rest of the way to the farmhouse. I raised pitch a half tone on
that one! Another was reclaimed from a landfill, I wouldn't have known but I
asked about the unfinished front board and kickboard. Both were plywood
proudly fashioned by the new owner, another 1/2 tone pitchraise. I used to
tune one regularly that had the backposts sawn out of it, then glued back in
after they moved it, they thought it would be lighter that way?! The guy was
a wood shop teacher! I even tune one with a cracked plate, the crack is
about 5 inches long from the center of the bottom, right behind the pedals,
straight up to where someone drilled a hole in the plate to stop the crack!
They put a lag bolt through the hole into the lower back beam, it's been
that way for over 20 years now! I spotted it doing a pedal adjustment the
first time I tuned it.

So it's a matter of being careful, knowing when to walk away and keeping
your eyes open and watching for those telltale signs that it might happen.
And a lotta luck!
<grin>

Mike

-- 
The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.
Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
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