<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2722" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=rol= e_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV>Hi Michael,</DIV> <DIV>You really do deserve full marks for enthusiasm and application, but I honestly  do think that your are "taking coals to Newcastle"&nbs= p; with this felt cutting business.  In most good workshops and apprentice training the cutting of cloth and felt in straight lines with a b= asic straightedge is a fundamental requirement for embarking on good quality= piano work.  Over the years new tools and materials have come along whi= ch can make some jobs easier.  I think that the Spurlock cutting bloc= k for angled cuts on damper felt is super, but for basic cutting of cloth and = and thin felt, the thin steel straightedge with sandpaper on one side is so easy= and straightforward.  As I said in an earlier post I personally like to use= scalpels for some of this fine cutting.  Also with some damper fel= t applications, straightedge trimming of the backing material to the white felt itself gives you a far better finish than trying to replicat= e the width of the backing to the damper felt.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Ric</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>