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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have this A. B. Cameron upright, NY, =
1911. The
key bed is 2" thick, laminated like a cutting board. It is flat as can =
be side
to side and only the slightest crown front to back. The backrail of the =
keyframe
scups up slightly, the screws being slightly forward of the felt and =
when I
screw the balance rail in, it tilts the back rail up even more. The =
shims all
were between the balance rail and the frame, not the frame and the bed. =
When I
pulled the frame, the front to back slats had been thinned across the =
center to
allow for a not so flat bed, and the frame had been run through a
milling/surfacing machine that, from the radius cut marks on the front =
and back
rails, had about a 2' diameter cutter wheel. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This led me to believe the =
backrail/frame had
warped and needed to be fastened to the bed with some more screws. The =
cupping
of the back rail was <U>apparent</U> with a straight edge. I =
figured
seasonal changes might play havoc with the lost motion and key dip, =
since the
back rail was floating in the air like that.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>However, with every 'thunk' I started =
wondering if
the sound of the key returning might be a bit loud with one of these =
heavy
stickered 'cabinet grand' action. Is it possible it was designed to come =
up in
the air when the center rail was screwed down in order to minimize =
noise?
The cupping wouldn't even matter if that was the case. Or am I going =
stir crazy
and thinking to much? I think I going downtown to hear some live
music.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Keith R</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>P.S. This company built 1200 to 1400 =
pianos a year
from 1897 to 1928 when they went to building 1000 pianos a year until =
1938 when
they closed. Nice not- jammed together scale. Obviously a
craftsman.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>