<pre style="font-size: 9pt;"><tt> Jim Radical dude!  say, lets one get ballsy in a way I wouldn't have dreamed before I came up with them. For you California dudes I named it the "Inner Dimension" <G>. Jim Ialeggio</tt></pre> <div style="clear:both">Dale Erwin RPT- Mason & Hamlin/Steinway/U.S pianos Pre-hung Ronsen hammer sets/Abel parts Sitka Soundboards & Supplies WWW.Erwinspiano.com 209-577-8397 <tt><tt>     </tt></tt> </div> <div style="font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:10pt;color:black">-----Original Message----- From: jim <jim@grandpianosolutions.com> To: pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Sun, Mar 25, 2012 2:02 pm Subject: Re: [pianotech] string height measurements story stick <div id="AOLMsgPart_0_75c1dbe5-4d63-4e23-9533-4d7749e3afd3" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"> <pre style="font-size: 9pt;"><tt>Coming to this thread late. I came up with this dead simple story stick to deal with interior dimensions in a previous work life. Its so dead simple, accurate and fool proof(since no numbers are recorded) I was able to get real ballsy when taking on-site dimensions and templating back to the shop for fabrication. I gave it to Fastcap and they sat on my it for a couple years before finally turning it down. Every "improvement" they added to it to "add value", made it less useful. Simply, a length of aluminum screen spreader extrusion, available at most hardware/lumber stores or online. A piece of poplar is sized for a friction fit, and profiled at the top how ever makes sense to you. I bring it to a narrow flat point for this use, to limit errors in the readin if taken slightly out of perpendicular to the keybed. The poplar is fit so that with one hand you can extend it to the measuring point smoothly, and the slight friction fit holds it at that position, without any 2nd or 3rd hand contortions, while you record the dimension. A small piece of the poplar sliding story stick is used as a plug in the bottom of the extrusion and staked in place by dimpling the extrusion with a center punch a few times, to make sure the index surface does not get bunged up. If you use the extrusion over and over, you can save each piano's personal string heights for posterity on a little 6" piece of poplar. No numbers to screw up. I set these up in lengths up to 10 ft, and by adding pins at the ends, or different end shapes, can use them to square cabinetry, sash, door openings. whatever, quickly, without numbers, with a precision that as I say, lets one get ballsy in a way I wouldn't have dreamed before I came up with them. For you California dudes I named it the "Inner Dimension" <G>. Jim Ialeggio -- Jim Ialeggio <a href="mailto:jim@grandpianosolutions.com">jim@grandpianosolutions.com</a> (978) 425-9026 Shirley, MA </tt></pre> </div>  </div>