Hi <br>  Check the Archives for <A href="http://www.Lock-n-Stitch.com">www.Lock-n-Stitch.com</A>. Been lots on it<br>  Dale Erwin<br> <br> <br> -----Original Message-----<br> From: pnotnr@aol.com<br> To: pianotech@ptg.org<br> Sent: Wed, 2 Apr 2008 10:49 am<br> Subject: cracked plate<br> <br> <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_c302c62c-ea62-4c2a-b0a5-b8cb322eb1ad><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br> List,<br> <br> I have a Chickering 1/4 grand in the shop with a hairline crack on the treble strut between the two capo sections.  This is right where a nose bolt passes through, so the crack extends from the top of the strut to about halfway through.  <br> <br> I'm sure it was my error that caused the crack.  (I restrung the piano, chipped it, and had it up to pitch before realizing that I still had my support jack in the high treble.  With all the string tension, it was really wedged in.  It was very difficult getting it to release and when I released the jack, I heard the crack.  I marked the end of the crack so I could see if it was growing.  The pitch hasn't dropped noticeably, but then that is hard to gauge since it is still in the very rough tuning stage.<br> <br> I read Richard Oliver Snelson's article on plate repair (stitching and welding, "A Double-Safe Engineered Plate Repair" November 2000 PTJ).  This looks promising, but is way beyond my current ability.  I'm also not sure how this would work where a nose bolt has to come right up through the area where the crack is.<br> <br> Most of the articles online about repairing plate cracks seem to be at strut forks, or in the hitchpin area.  Does anyone have any experience repairing a crack at a nosebolt, and can anyone recommend someone who can do this repair?  (or do I eat this piano?)  <br> <br> It has made for a lousy day, but at least this is/was a piano with little market value.  If it is toast, I'm not out a lot of money.<br> <br> Thanks for any suggestions<br> <br> Gordon Large, RPT<br> Hallowell, ME<br> <br> <br> </FONT> <div></div> <br> <div class=aol_ad_footer id=u8CA63010D99411F-884-22BE><FONT style="FONT: 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF; COLOR: black"> <HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px"> Get the <A title=http://www.mapquest.com/toolbar?NCID=mpqmap00030000000003 href="http://www.mapquest.com/toolbar?NCID=mpqmap00030000000003" target=_blank>MapQuest Toolbar</A>, Maps, Traffic, Directions & More!</FONT> </div> </div> <div id='u8CA6303661A573E-FC8-46C' class='aol_ad_footer'><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Get the <A title="http://www.mapquest.com/toolbar?NCID=mpqmap00030000000003" href="http://www.mapquest.com/toolbar?NCID=mpqmap00030000000003" target="_blank">MapQuest Toolbar</A>, Maps, Traffic, Directions & More!</FONT> </div>