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<DIV><FONT size=3> John Hartman gave me this idea a few years ago &
I'm just getting around to using it adn making it practical. The more I
thought about it the more I realized it's
value. </FONT></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000><FONT size=3> I've made some very simple wooden jigs which
act like rocker gauges.Just some straight maple. The front foot , a
couple inches long & 12mm wide sits on a unison. There is
a slot cut out over the bridge to clear the pins when it rocks back so
rear foot touches the rear rest. The bottom of the gauge simply
simulates the straight string line. The bottom edge of the front
foot & rear foot is on the same string line. Is this clear? See
pictures, it's sooo simple.</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<DIV><FONT size=3> The beauty of it is that it rocks
right at the front bridge pin fulcrum where the front &rear sine
angle intersects & the rear string rest. The only two bearing
angle reference points that matter are these 2. The front where the pin
& string intersect & is bedded firmly to the bridge & the other
side of the bridge where the string touches down at it's final resting
place. Forget bridge slope & cant, iI don't think it
matters.</FONT></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV> <FONT size=3> </FONT><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000><FONT size=3>The rear foot rocks down till it hits the
aliquot. It clearly & definitely gives you a visual,tactile picture
& physical distance gap at the rear aliquot indicating positive bearing(or
not) which is absolutely the truth & can be measured with a feeler
gauge. I believe it's possible, since I know what my approx new board
squash is that I can extrapolate the precise residual bearing angle for
each note & can graph the graduated bearing settings for the entire
bridge. I've yet to work thru this process conlpetely but the possibility's are
potentially very useful.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000><FONT size=3> For example. The obvious ones just stated but also in giving
a client a visual idea about bearing in a piano they are considering buying or
rebuilding. Warranty applications.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000><FONT size=3> How I think it works. According to Nick Gravagnes articles, if the
rear string length,meaning the string distance from the front bridge pin to the
rear rest is measured & multipied by.026, a distance bearing of .104 is
required to set up your string deflection of 1 &1/2 degree of
bearing. In the picture below I have a 4 inch rear string length & a
residual distance bearing as measured at the gap between the string rest &
the bottom of the rocker foot of approx .050. This indicates 3/4 of a
degree of bearing. If you look closley the gap is very
</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>visiable.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> The three gauges below were designed to work on the
aliquot sections of most Steiwnays. Make your own based on the measuring
device below.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> Give me some feedback & tell me what your thoughts
are. This is in the experimental stage so please chime in.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3> Regards</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3> Dale Erwin</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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