<!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 6.00.6000.16544" 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>  Dave</DIV> <DIV>  Ok ok... I cranked down the front 2 nose bolts as far as I could & it  still required the back of the plate coming waaaaaaay up first to extricate it. Scary. Nothing broke. Nothing bent. WHew.</DIV> <DIV>    I'm going to remove the piece of stretcher lip that was hangin over the front of the plate  & install a long wooden filler piece with screws once the plate goes back in. What were they thinking..  Thanks me later?</DIV> <DIV> Dale</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV>Del, Dale, you guys rock!  As one of my heroes said, I'd rather be lucky than smart.  We just yanked the plate out with an engine hoist.  I hope to be smarter soon.  But at least I kept the spare part to ponder later.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Phil Bondi and Terry Farrell have both contributed to my juvenile delinquency in SW FL.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>BTW, I suppose I just need to position the mystery part properly while lowering the plate and keeping all fingers out of harms way, meanwhile hoping the tall nose bolts are not bent.?  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I almost hate to ask the question, but is this brace a good idea in the first place?  At least for someone who is just trying to restore at least as good as the original.  Not yet to the point of improving on piano design perfection!?!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Dave Smith </DIV> <DIV>SW FL<BR></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV>  Dave</DIV> <DIV>  I was going to send a picture but Del beat me to it.  We took a little Knabe apart Friday & it had one.....just like this picture. </DIV> <DIV>         By the way..with the front lip of the plate buried under the top of the stretcher 1.2" how'd ya git er out with those tall nose bolts in front messing things up. I'll tell....maybe ....... but you first.</DIV> <DIV>  Dale</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT lang=0 face="Book Antiqua" size=2 FAMILY="SERIF" PTSIZE="10"><B><I></I>Dale Erwin--Piano Restorations<BR>4721 Parker rd<BR>Modesto, Ca. 95357<BR>Shop 209-577-8397<BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Abadi MT Condensed" color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"></FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Abadi MT Condensed" color=#000000 size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="12">Web site <A href="http://www.erwinspiano.com/">http://www.Erwinspiano.com</A></FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Abadi MT Condensed" color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"> </FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Book Antiqua" color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SERIF" PTSIZE="10"><I><BR>Restoration & Sales of<BR>Steinway & Sons & other fine pianos.<BR>" Soundboards by Design"</I><BR></B></FONT></DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">See what's new at <A title="http://www.aol.com?NCID=AOLCMP00300000001170" href="http://www.aol.com?NCID=AOLCMP00300000001170" target="_blank">AOL.com</A> and <A title="http://www.aol.com/mksplash.adp?NCID=AOLCMP00300000001169" href="http://www.aol.com/mksplash.adp?NCID=AOLCMP00300000001169" target="_blank">Make AOL Your Homepage</A>.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>