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<DIV>Del, thanks for the reply. My Knabe plate stress coupler is back in
it's plate stress coupler position, awaiting stringing. Appreciate your
insight.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dave Smith</DIV>
<DIV>SW FL</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=fandrich@pianobuilders.com
href="mailto:fandrich@pianobuilders.com">Delwin D Fandrich</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">'Pianotech List'</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, October 15, 2007 2:23
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Plate stress couplers</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080
size=3></FONT> </DIV><BR>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> <A
href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A>
[mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Dave
Smith<BR><B>Sent:</B> October 13, 2007 7:31 PM<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech
List<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: Mystery part<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3></FONT> </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><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Dave Smith </DIV>
<DIV>SW FL<SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3> </FONT></SPAN></DIV><SPAN
class=140175416-15102007>
<DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3>Well, although plates can obviously be designed to
function quite well without them, they are not a bad idea. Often when these
mechanisms are used the plates are also a bit lighter so it's a
<EM>Really Good Idea</EM> to properly fit them and replace them during the
final plate setting. This is not so much a worry about the middle of the
tuning pin panel deflecting down as it is one of possibly overstressing the
bass/tenor plate strut once string tension is applied. These mechanisms keep
some of the bending stress off of the bass/tenor plate strut (generally a weak
point in the casting). </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3>While better than nothing, the design found in your small
Knabe is not the best I've seen. The horn and wedge system found in Steinway
construction, for example, is a much better system. As is the system
found in certain larger Knabe grands: </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3><IMG alt="" hspace=0
src="cid:001e01c80f82$c8b947d0$0201a8c0@self678d11cb63" align=absMiddle
border=0></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3>This type has the advantage of being easily adjustable
both during original construction as well as later during
rebuilding.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
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color=#000080 size=3><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>
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<DIV><SPAN class=140175416-15102007>[Quote] </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Del, A manufacturer's rep once told us the plate
stress coupler (a bolt in this case) served to enhance the tone by
transferring vibrations from plate to belly rail. Any truth to that?
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" FAMILY="SANSSERIF">Bob Maret,
RPT<BR>Piano Technician<BR>
<HR>
</FONT></DIV></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3>I'm not sure what advantage there would be
to transferring vibrations from the plate to the bellyrail. Bellyrails
are not generally designed to function well as energy transducers; i.e.,
soundboards. Their advantage is to structurally stabilize the plate and,
if anything, prevent energy losses by helping to prevent spurious plate
vibrations and resonances. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3>As well, while the older Knabe plates I've encountered
have generally still been quite massive, Steinway took the opportunity to
significantly reduce the mass of their plates without any compromise in
overall stability.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080 size=3>Del</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=140175416-15102007><!-- Converted from text/plain format -->
<P><FONT size=2>Delwin D Fandrich<BR>Piano Design & Manufacturing
Consultant<BR>620 South Tower Avenue<BR>Centralia, Washington 98531
USA<BR>Phone 360.736-7563<BR><<A
href="mailto:fandrich@pianobuilders.com">mailto:fandrich@pianobuilders.com</A>>
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