<HTML><HTML>In a message dated 6/25/2005 2:30:1= 4 PM Central Standard Time, fandrich@pianobuilders.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I just read something in an old= report I've been looking at that strikes me as odd. Basically it says that piano builders put as many as three or four twis= ts in bass strings to increase the tensile strength of the core wire. Does this ring any bells? Does anyone know of a piano manufacturer doing thi= s (twisting bass strings this much)? Is anyone out there metallurgist enough t= o know if there is any validity to this claim? </BLOCKQUOTE> Del: I've talked with only one older factory stringer (he's unfortunately dead no= w so confirmation isn't possible) who claimed that he put 3-4 twists in bass= strings only to tighten the coils on the wire to avoid buzzing as the core = stretched. Of course the tension on the coils will release slightly as well,= but I can't figure how tensile strength (either overall or in the component= s --copper or steel) would be increased by twisting which shortens the wire = and would cause the need for slightly lower tensions to account for the diff= erence for pitch. Or do I have that backwards? The ductility of copper doesn= 't argue logically for higher tensile strength except for the stiffening tha= t results from stretching a wire as in lead in stained glass windows which v= isibly stiffens when stretched; but that is not for tensile strength, more f= or shearing strength. The same observation would hold for steel as well? Paul R-J</HTML>