<html><head><style type="text/css"></style></head><body><div style="font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt"><DIV></DIV> <DIV>Absolutely beautiful.  Well done!<BR> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#0000ff>Steve Grattan</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#0000ff>Lost Chord Clinic</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR> <DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma> <HR SIZE=1> <B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> Jim Ialeggio <jim@grandpianosolutions.com><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Mon, February 18, 2013 10:33:42 PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> [pianotech] Notching Machine Maiden Voyage<BR></FONT><BR>I've been working on this bridge notching machine on and off for a while. Finally got all the bits and bugs worked out. It's cutting notches cleanly, relatively safely and efficiently.<BR><BR>To make the notch, the bridge is mounted cap side down on a powered sliding table. The sliding table runs on linear motion bearings, powered by a 12v linear actuator (automobile power window actuator). It's set up with a self latching solid state relay and 2 micro switches. This means the cut cycle is automatic and hands free, and controlled through the potentially dangerous climb cut. Motion is slow steady and slop free.<BR><BR>The notching machine is temporarily mounted on the table saw when in use, but its only on the table saw to run the cutterhead off the table saw arbor.  2" diam cutterhead spins@ 7000rpm.<BR><BR>Set the cut up by aligning the drilled bridge pin holes with a kerf that the cutterhead has cut in a sacrificial backer.  A mirror mounted on the non-sliding base near the cutterhead gives clear sight of when the bridge is lined up correctly with the backer board.<BR><BR>The sliding table/integral clamp and clamped bridge are the only things that slide during the cut. The cutterhead remains stationary, skewed 1 deg from square to table travel.<BR><BR>The weird shaped  secondary clamping board's purpose is to be able to clamp the bridge at 2 points, instead of just one point. This, particularly in this design, is essential, because the bridge will have a tendency to rotate during the cut unless restrained at a second point. In use the whole setup was pretty easy to use, even on a maiden voyage... even though I'm still learning what it likes to do and what it doesn't like to do.<BR><BR>It was originally inspired by a desire to use a epoxy laminated bridge cap, Nossaman style with veneer & epoxy. On this job though, I had to, at least temporarily, abandon the epoxy lam cap because I was not comfortable with the adhesion I was getting between veneer laminations. This cap is 3 laminations w/titebond.<BR><BR>Jim Ialeggio<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>-- Jim Ialeggio    <BR><A href="mailto:jim@grandpianosolutions.com" ymailto="mailto:jim@grandpianosolutions.com">jim@grandpianosolutions.com</A><BR>978 425-9026<BR>Shirley Center, MA<BR><BR></DIV></DIV></div></body></html>