<html> Thankyou Boys for your replies. First, Joe Goss, who wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><0:)</blockquote> My response?  (b)..(d)    ( .Y. )       V  (Note: It works in Arial anyway.  On the archives it'll probably be a dud) Terry (Farrell)- You asked: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Do you have a chain fall? You can do it pretty easy with that.</blockquote> No.  Piano is located in a performance space, not a shop (which, in any case, I doan' got).  Just curious anyway...how WOULD you do it with a chainfall?  With regard to measuring bearing with Lowell gauge...a further question.  Do you use it as he outlines in the instructions, in other words, spreading the toes (sorry, it's fingers) between the bridge pins to read the bridge segment, and then comparing that to the front and back segments? Ron  |<x-tab> </x-tab>   Nossaman wrote:      =._.= <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Try temporarily clamping the rim back together where the separations are and see if it improves the tone.</blockquote> Ron - No shop, no clamps, at least, not sufficient number to run around the entire perimeter. He also said: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Ok, new soundboard, made by X. Wha= t was the crowning method, and the amount of crown originally installed? Being new doesn't necessarily mean it's good. In a new board, even with a 60' crown radius, there should be some measurable crown through the killer octave. What sort of bearing angles do you find from octave 4 on up? Is there positive bearing on both front and back of the bridge?</blockquote> Crowning method was compression, I believe.  I didn't see the piano when it first came back, nor before it went out for rebuilding, as this preceded my period of employment at the University.  Piano was rebuilt during the summer time and, as previously stated, the humidity in this venue does hover in the 20% and below region for some part of the winter, at least it did so before GWSR  (Global Warming Seasonal Recalibration).    I installed a series of crown indicator strings between ribs 3&4, 5&6, 7&8, 9&10, and 11&12 (piano has total of 13 ribs).  They are held in place with masking tape, and I retension them and note bearing whenever I tune.  Most recently, the numbers I got were: 3&4 - 1/16"; 5&6 - 1/16"; 7&8 - 1/16" or Flat; 9&10 - Flat; 11&12 - Flat.  With regard to bearing angles, I am currently revising the method I use for measuring downbearing, and so I don't have precise numbers at the moment, however, I am virtually positive that the bearing isn't. Why, is that a problem???!!   As far as positive on both sides of the bridge...only in my dreams...No, not those, the other ones.  What do you consider to be "some measurable crown"? 1/32"? 1/16"? What? Del - Thanks for your thorough response to the many questions I posed.  You asked: (3/30/02) <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>This delamination you describe--ar= e you seeing it from the top or the bottom. </blockquote> Bottom, I believe. <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Have the tonal deficiencies been apparent from the start? Or have they developed over time, i.e., did the piano sound acceptable immediately following the rebuilding and then deteriorate? Or was the tone unacceptable immediately following the work?</blockquote> I'd say it was weak from the beginning.  One complicating factor is that I requested that they not do too much hammer juicing to start out, rather trying to play piano in.  It came up somewhat, but not to where I suspect that the answer to this pianos problems lie in tone building. <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>You are probably right, the rim delamination probably did not happen in just a few months. But changing weather conditions might cause it to appear and disappear. Did you have any reason to look for gaps before the piano went to the rebuilder? Is it possible that the gap could have been closed while at the rebuilders shop and then open up when it returned to your environment? This does seem like quite a gap, but still....</blockquote> I never saw the piano prior to rebuilding, but, given the extent, opening and closing does not seem likely, <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>I doubt the loss of crown is attributable to the rim delamination but would not want to go too far out on the proverbial limb without being able to personally examine the instrument. Rims don't have much to do with either forming or maintaining crown. There is a lengthy explanation and you'll find it in my articles dealing with soundboards in the Journal.</blockquote> I thought that even a small shift in the rim could translate into board collapse, but I'll read the article first. <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>I would certainly address the rim separation problem for the reasons I've mentioned above as well as to prevent the cosmetic changes that will occur when the outer rim falls off the piano.</blockquote> I have nothing to say about this last comment, but included it because the image speaks to me. Again, thanks all David Skolnik </html>