<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16441" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Hi Jim</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Your interest here . Is it based on setting up new boards,finding the soundboard deflection sweet spot etc?</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  If so e-mail privately.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  On another note concerning the wooden gauges. I recently had a 1966 BB Mason & Hamilin come in for an overhaul.  The piano sounded awesome even in it's ragged condition with funky parts &  Original everything. WHen I hear these things I ask why does it sound this way.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>   I crawled underneath to check residual crown with a crown string & the board was about flat....evey where.  The board was .400 thick...very thick. I used the wooden gauges to check bearing & it was gi--normous. Never seen anything like it. I thought there is no way this piano can have 3 plus degrees of bearing everywhere & still have sustain and power like this & with out disintegrating under the load.  Who hoo let's hear for centripetal resonators ( spiders). As is always the case, when the strings com off the whole story is seen.  The belly came up a mile as checked with a crown string. over 3/8 this inch. in the biggest part of the belly & 3 or more mm in the trebles. These are the situations that cause my state that many thing work even thought they shoudn't.  The dilema is shall I change the bearing?</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  With no compression ridges or cracks & only exposed to the beautiful CA climate for 40 yrs & with a church building around it to buffer any humidity effects, this pianos belly is pristine. </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  SO what would you all do? Hmm  Leave it set up this way or change it. The plate sits on bolts as it's  supports so plate height is easy to change.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Please weigh in & I'll tell you what I think.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Dale</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Dale,<BR><BR>Rereading your post, I realized you are looking for specifics on the secondary <BR>parts needed to use this angle gauge in the piano.<BR><BR>I hesitated before posting the Wixey idea because I haven't had the time the work<BR>out the jig(s), but figured the idea was worth floating in its present uncooked state< hence<BR>no visuals. <BR><BR>Feet should not be any more complicated than the Lowell feet, but I will post what I<BR>come up with when I have time to fuss with the idea.<BR><BR>The other thing is that the unit is sensitive to movement, ie movement of the strings,<BR>and registers that movement. But I don't think that should be an issue, because <BR>the bubble gauges also are affected by movement/deflection. There probably will be <BR>a learning curve on taking readings, especially on the speaking side.<BR><BR>So anyway, this is an official not quite baked idea...but I don't think its half-bake, so-to-say.<BR><BR>I'd be interested in followups of anyone foolong around with the idea.<BR><BR>Jim I <BR></DIV></FONT></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">See what's free at <A title="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" href="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" target="_blank">AOL.com</A>. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>