<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <html><head><style type="text/css"></style><title>Re: my own Soundboard</title></head><body> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Ron,<br>     thank you for your accommodation of my request. I received the pictures and it was exactly what i was looking for. I may not make them immediately and favor Ron N. approach until I get more time and a feeling for just how much I may be leaning into this part of the business. I love shop work but the bread and butter has always been tunings.</blockquote> <div><br></div> <div>I read Ron N's excellent post in which he mentioned the F clamps he uses. They sound like a better solution for your immediate needs.</div> <div><br></div> <blockquote type="cite" cite>    I thought that tongue and groove might be a good idea long before I heard about it here. Lately I've been day dreaming about finger joints. Any feelings on how that might work in a soundboard situation? It seems that a finger joint would offer more surface area than a tongue and groove.</blockquote> <div><br></div> <div>Finger joints are fine, but there's no real benefit in having such a strong joint since we are only dealing with spruce. The real benefit of the tongue and groove is the improved alignment of the boards when gluing up the panel - which allows for the boards to be sawn closer to the finished size. The smaller the tongue and groove the better, since less wood will be wasted when machining the joining surfaces. The total loss for each joint will be double the tongue size.</div> <div><br></div> <blockquote type="cite" cite> Call me a ponderer.</blockquote> <div><br></div> <div>Some of us ponder, then some of those carry through that-upon-which they've pondered, then the hind-sight thing sets in. Its a good idea to ponder and plan long and hard before you take the plunge, but not for too long or you'll get put in a box first.</div> <div><br></div> <div><br></div> <blockquote type="cite" cite>    I would love to here from you any tips, ideas, or pitfalls to be aware of as I begin to prepare for this job. If you have an idea of a supplier for Sitka or opinions about other woods I would love to hear that too!</blockquote> <div><br></div> <div>Uncle Ron N did a very good job in his post.</div> <div><br></div> <div>If you look again at the three gluers image (http://www.overspianos.com.au/3glrs.html), you will see that there is a plywood piece cutout to match to inner rim/sound-board-panel contact area<font color="#0000FF"> (it also has a bass-corner-section to cover the sound board cutoff, and with a special deeper throat clamp made for it)</font>. This continuous plywood piece ensures that the clamping pressure is distributed evenly to the sound board panel. This piece is made from an 8' x 4' x 18mm thick plywood sheet with the cutoff back-right corner scarf jointed to the right hand side<font color="#0000FF"> (to cover the entire board with a single sheet)</font>. This idea came to me directly from uncle Ron N before I glued in no. 003 sound board. We undercut the outer-lower edge around the perimeter to prevent any excess glue-squeeze-out from gluing the former to the sound board. This single piece device allows for clamping up much faster than using individual blocks for each clamp. Regarding solid verses laminated panels, I had intended to build the next two pianos<font color="#0000FF"> (004 and 005)</font> with one solid and one laminated panel for an A-B comparison. But we're so satisfied with the results of no. 003 that I am beginning to wonder if there is any point in using a solid panel again. The laminated panel has better resistance to checking and it seems to slightly improve tuning stability.</div> <div><br></div> <blockquote type="cite" cite>though I was not fortunate enough to hear your piano this past convention I hope to this time around in Chicago. I certainly respect your opinion and value your input to "the list".</blockquote> <div><br></div> <div>Thanks Greg but I can't see myself getting to Chicago this year unless some miracle happens. I am currently designing three new grands, a 185, 230 and a 280<font color="#0000FF"> (top elevations can be seen together one behind the other at http://overspianos.com.au/cases.html)</font>. We are building just two more pianos based on the undrilled Samick 225 plate. These pianos will be very similar to no. 003<font color="#0000FF"> (the Reno exhibit piano)</font>, but with a larger bass corner cut-off. We've had such a big<font color="#0000FF"> (read expensive)</font> couple of years developing these instruments that I'm going to have sit tight for a bit. However, I am looking forward to returning to the US as soon as we get another serious new product up and running - either the 230 or 280.</div> <div><br></div> <blockquote type="cite" cite>    The three gluers thing was cute! How is your efforts going in getting your piano used at the concert hall? Is this a battle with Steinway or the hall?</blockquote> <div><br></div> <div>Recently we had a battle with certain folks in a management capacity who wanted the new Stuart piano to be used for all concerts in a certain chamber music recital series for the Sydney Festival - regardless of the wishes of the pianist. However the pianist<font color="#0000FF"> (for one of the four concerts)</font> requested our no. 003. Miraculously after some arm twisting we got permission to supply it for David Bollard's Jan 20 concert. At this time, since we only manufacture a 225 cm grand piano, we will be at a natural disadvantage over other makers who have a full concert piano. Regardless of how good or bad our piano may sound, it is visually inferior from a length perspective.</div> <div><br></div> <blockquote type="cite" cite>The longer I'm in this business the less respect I seem to have for Steinway. They do some things well but the most successful thing they do is their marketing. well, this is nothing new to serious technicians is it?</blockquote> <div><br></div> <div>Yes they're great marketers but innovation has been almost completely non existent for over a hundred years. This time our problem was not with Steinway<font color="#0000FF"> (wasn't always thus)</font>, but again it was an entrenched manufacturer - in this case very recently entrenched.</div> <div><br></div> <div>Best regards,</div> <div><br></div> <div>Ron O.</div> <div>-- <br>            <span ></span>      OVERS PIANOS<br>        Grand Piano Manufacturers<br> _____________________________<br> <br> Web:    http://www.overspianos.com.au<br> Email:  mailto:ron@overspianos.com.au<br> _____________________________</div> </body> </html>