<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; = FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 bgColor=#ffffff leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 = rightMargin=7> <DIV>Or if the original cut-off bar didn't cut enough off! - But I used = new wood, so you still win!   ;-)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Terry Farrell</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="cid:004501c4eed3$190b5620$fbb62341@youro0kwkw9jwc" = align=baseline border=0></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=Erwinspiano@aol.com href="mailto:Erwinspiano@aol.com">Erwinspiano@aol.com</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, December 30, = 2004 1:03 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Recycled = technology-cutoff bar</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 = size=2> <DIV><FONT size=4>  List</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>     I find this kind of thing = fun when I can take a beautiful piece of previously engineered something and = adapt it to something else saving big time & cash & utilizing something that originally was very expensive to make & end up = with a nice result</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>  A client brought in a 1900 ish Baldwin = upright that ended up needing more than it first appeared, including a board. = It wasn't worth doing so the decision was made to scrap it. The tech who = brought in the job wanted the beams & such for the maple & I'll be = able to salvage the spruce in the lam. beams also. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>    The real jewel though was that = this piano had a laminated soundboard liner just like Mason or Stwy grands = & uprights ( not as thick as a grand ).  I managed to get it off in = nearly one piece with crow bars, chisels & an Oklahama speed = wrench.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>    Now coincidently I'm replacing = the board in a 6 ft. 1 inch Mason AA no. 28,246  which has ribs so long a = cutoff bar was <U>really</U> a necessity.    </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>    The old Upright board liner had = plenty of stock for this & by fashioning it to fit the corner of the AA I = was able to install a straight 28 inch cut off bar that reduced the overall = length of 6 ribs as much as 13.5 inches. My longest rib was 50" = & one of the  longest I've ever witnessed in any piano. This rib is now = about 37.5 inches long. I don't believe its possible to use ribs this long = and expect crown support for very long. Although my observations of the  AA's is limited the 13 rib scale has = shown the crown has not survived even with tension resonator = claims. Hence the few AA boards I've seen  are usually quite = flat. The sound of this piano though fair was quite lack luster in its tonal = appeal if you know what I mean even though the board was not seriously cracked up</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   The Mason AA has a very wide body = & hence very long ribs for a 6 ft 1" piano</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   The original rib scale was as follows = on the left</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   For clarity the </FONT><FONT size=4>measurements below are the actual rib speaking length not = including the piece in the notches.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   = 1. 30       in inches</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT = size=4>  <STRONG> 2. 37</STRONG></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   3. 45 --------38  modified length</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   4. 50 --------37.5</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   5. = 46  -------35.5</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   6. 40 --------32.5  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   7. 34 --------29.5</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   8. 28 --------27</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   9. 28</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>  10. 20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>  11.18</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>  12. 15</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>  13. 13</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>  It's easy to see there is far = more hopes for the longevity of rib & crown stiffness than the previous = scale. this mod also get the bridge more nearly centered over the long ribs which = is IMO a good thing.This original bridge also has the  transition bridge = with all the usual funky tri-chords. It's receiving a modified trans. = bridge with bi-chord replacements.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>  I'll let you know how it turns out in a = month or so. The action is done & case stripped. The parts are in the finish = process waiting for the belly man to get it done so my finish guy(Roy) = can have the case & plate.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   Good new year to all</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>    Dale Erwin</FONT></DIV> <DIV>    </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" = FAMILY="SANSSERIF">Erwins Pianos Restorations <BR>4721 Parker Rd.<BR>Modesto, Ca 95357<BR>209-577-8397<BR>Rebuilt Steinway , Mason &Hamlin = Sales<BR>www.Erwinspiano.com</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT= ></BODY></HTML>