<div> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">It wasn't very loud.  In fact I first thought it was just the handle of my 2lb mallet falling over on the keybed.  Nothing like a gun shot.<br> <br> I had to remove the jack by using a second jack to share the load, then took turns easing each one until they came out.  I'd like to think the crack was already there, but I think I would have noticed before.<br> <br> I made a mark at the end of the crack so I could tell if it gets longer.  I'm hoping there is someone with experience who might be able to weld this without taking the whole thing apart.  (I know nothing about welding, and don't really want to learn on this instrument.  I can picture myself burning down my shop)<br> <br> This is a 103 year old Chickering that had a lot of problems, but I thought I could save it.<br> <br> -Gordon Large<br> </font></div> <div> <br> </div> <div> <br> </div> -----Original Message-----<br> From: Farrell <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com><br> To: Pianotech List <pianotech@ptg.org><br> Sent: Wed, 2 Apr 2008 4:55 pm<br> Subject: Re: cracked plate<br> <br> <div id="AOLMsgPart_2_bdc09178-30c1-4c13-b9b3-c2d50f3c2a5d"> <div><font face="Arial">I wonder if, after stringing up to tension, the jack was in there so tight because there was already a crack - letting the pinblock/plate rotate that little bit and press down on the jack. You say you heard the crack - was it pretty loud? I've never heard a plate crack, but I can only imagine that it would be a pretty loud event.</font></div> <div><font face="Arial"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial">Did you simply unscrew the jack at a normal rate? I'm assuming you didn't whack the jack with a sledge and remove it instantaneously (I'm sure you didn't - just covering that ground). If you let it down slowly, I have a hard time understanding how your actions could be responsible for the plate cracking.</font></div> <div><font face="Arial"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial">Terry Farrell</font></div> <blockquote dir="ltr" style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 0px;"> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">----- Original Message ----- </div> <div style="background: rgb(228, 228, 228) none repeat scroll 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><font size="3"></font> </div> <div>This was just a normal screw type jack.  And maybe this had nothing to do with the plate cracking, but after stringing the piano, it was in a lot tighter then when I first put it in.  <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I had put it in just snug enough so that I couldn't move it.  </font>I guessed that the string tension pulled that corner of the plate and maybe the jack gave it that borderline amount of support(?)  Probably didn't have the plate in position as well as I thought.<br> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br> Anyway, the crack happened as I released the jack, so I'm thinking there is some connection.  It's about 5 hours since this happened, and the strings are still at pitch.  <br> <br> I don't consider myself a rebuilder.  This project was more of a change of pace for me (I'm primarily a field technician) and this particular instrument was a good one to screw up (if I had to screw up a piano!)  since it had little value to begin with.  I AM feeling gun shy, however.<br> <br> Gordon Large<br> </font></div> <div><br> </div> <br> </blockquote></div>  <div id='u8CA63209D8FE540-BF0-992' 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>