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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>With all this talk about the extension of the top lid (or
as I call it the flap), one of the things that was never mentioned here is
that the flap is not on the same plane as the top because of the top
hinges. The hinges keep the main top slightly away from the piano case. When you
open the flap while the top is up you are putting stress on the long hinge. If
you were to put something between the flap and the case (maybe about 3/4" or so)
you would keep the proper plane and relieve the stress on the long hinge.
IMHO</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Mr.G</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>----- Original Message ----- </FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>From: "Richard Brekne" <</FONT><A
href="mailto:ricb@pianostemmer.no"><FONT
face=Arial>ricb@pianostemmer.no</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>To: <</FONT><A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"><FONT
face=Arial>pianotech@ptg.org</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 8:19 AM</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Subject: Front lid extended during
performance</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial>> Which pretty well
sums this up. Really... I have a hard time <BR>> understanding the big
to-do here. There is a difference between <BR>> uncarefully handling
the front lid and carefully placing it in the <BR>> closed position with the
whole lid propped up. Sounds like some folks <BR>> are getting their
P's and Q's mixed up.<BR>> <BR>> I suppose if one is worried about the
locals miscommunicating the need <BR>> for care one could advise in general
to avoid this. But to out of hand <BR>> deny an artist this when due
care can be exercised seems uncalled for IMHO.<BR>> <BR>> Cheers<BR>>
RicB<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Since it has
come up on this list, I did a little investigation on<BR>>
the subject. The rear lid, in the open position, is held away
from<BR>> the spine of the rim by roughly the diameter of
the hinge barrels. <BR>> The back edge of the front lid is
held at this position by its<BR>> attachment to the rear
lid, but the front portion of the front lid<BR>> rests on
the front corner of the rim. This forces the front lid
to<BR>> angle slightly below its normal co-planar
relationship to the rear<BR>> lid. This comes out to
be less that a two-degree angle. There is<BR>>
sufficient space between the front and rear lid that this angle
is<BR>> not sufficient to bring the lower edges of the two
lids into<BR>> contact., so there is no leverage working
against the screws in the<BR>> hinge. It is true that
the weight of the front lid is being<BR>> supported largely
by the screws in the hinge, but there are dozens<BR>> of
them. If this were done on a daily basis with a heavy lid
made<BR>> of MDF, I would be a little more concerned, but I
would probably<BR>> just keep an eye on it, and treat it as
a testing environment to<BR>> determine just how much it
can take. As was stated earlier in the<BR>> thread,
and I agree, the risk of damage is greater when the
front<BR>> lid is folded back of the piano cover.
<BR>> <BR>> Frank Emerson<BR>>
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