Good point Ron N made about not planing down the top of the laminated bridge. I always plane my root to height and then bond the laminated cap to it. If it is difficult to get a template off the old bridge, sure just start from scratch. Chances are that the originals were not perfect anyway - this'll give you a chance to straighten things out. Straighted the unisons out, measure new speaking lengths (some may change a bit) and then rescale. And if you wish, I can cut you some very nice perfectly quartered solid hard maple for your caps. Terry Farrell ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Hull" <hullfam5 at yahoo.com> To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org> Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 3:54 PM Subject: Re: bridge recapping tools > Thanks for the info, Ron. > > Now to try to make templates on top of oblonged bridge pin holes..no > precision to be found there.... Or to decide to start from scratch laying > out the unisons. > > Bob Hull > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Ron Nossaman <rnossaman at cox.net> > To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 2:12:53 PM > Subject: Re: bridge recapping tools > > > >> I must dive in to my first treble bridge recapping job. I >> have only done a bass bridge thus far and it was only >> beveled, not notched. Maybe the difficulty of this job >> can be taken down a few notches if I get the best tools and >> wonder what you would recommend. > > Which tools are best is written in the blood stains of the user. > > >> I have looked at the Mazzaglia website and saw: Bridge pin >> tri-punches Massive chisels Bearing saw Bearing gauges >> Bearing lines Notch tool - for cutting and cleaning the >> sides of the notches Bridge capping washers - is this for >> putting pressure on the joint while gluing on the new cap? > > Below is a photo of my notching tools. Pin punches are easily > made from scrap 1/4" Plexiglass, and easily re-made if you > don't like the first test. Do, by the way, test on a mock up > before committing on the actual bridge. Go for about a 10° > offset angle. > > I cut notch sides with the knife (with nicely curved edge) and > a hammer (producing the dents on the knife's spine in the > photo). This works as well for me as anything I've tried. > > Some folks like a really heavy mortising chisel, some like the > Japanese chisels. I like a long blade (paring chisel), and > considerable overall length. Mine is 12-3/8" (135mm) long, > with a 6-1/2" (165mm) blade, 7/8 (23mm) wide. Any of these > will work. It's a matter of personal preference and control. > > >> Do you recommend PianoTek's bridge capping material or who >> else. > > If you're planning on planing the new cap to finish thickness, > stick with solid maple instead of laminated. The Pianotek > stock should be fine. > > >> I have read Bob Hohf's article on Bridge Recapping - not >> artilcle more like a book. Is there another good writing >> on this ? - need something concise I know I'm going to >> have a lot of questions on this and will also look over the >> archives. > > The Journal reprints on CD has a bunch of stuff. > > Ron N > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs >
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