Hi Ron: I don't think it assumes a more perfect world. It has its limitations, as I am aware and which you and others point out. And yes, a string or longer straight edge will give you the visuals of which you speak. So no, the Crownulator is not the Holy Grail. It's not an arbitrary point. I try to measure from the same point under the center of the treble bridge wherever possible. That is very useful when one is measuring a new board unloaded, loaded to set bearing, and loaded after stringing. Nothing prevents one from combining the Crownulator readings with string visualizations, as one sees the need to fully flesh out the picture. Will -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ron Nossaman Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2011 11:52 PM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Soundboard Analysis On 6/22/2011 7:17 PM, Encore Pianos wrote: > About a year ago, I bought a Crownulator from Jude Reveley. It's a fine idea in concept, but presumes a more perfect world than I work in. As in so many other aspects of this work, the number of decimal points generated is over appreciated and usually at the expense of a broader picture. A string, rim to rim, shows me the contour of the crown, rather than the calculated radius at an arbitrary point. One look with the string will tell me as much or more than three or four Crownulator measurements. "Flat" boards are hardly ever dead flat, which a string shows immediately, as it shows an "S" curve, without multiple measurements and calculations. I can then compare these with the string bearing measurements above each crown "measurement" for a workable picture of how the soundboard is doing structurally. Ron N
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