<HTML>In a message dated 10/16/2002 2:10:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time, mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Subj:Re: Bridge cap materials Date:10/16/2002 2:10:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time From:<A HREF="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com</A> Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> To:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> Sent from the Internet              Terry</BLOCKQUOTE>                      I did a test this afternoon as I was working on a bridge. I took a piece of maple with 27 grains an inch and one that had 6. I drilled a whole in each for a no. 8 bridge pin. It took about twice the force of the hammer to drive the pin in the tight grain piece. I then drove each pin back and forth twice and the tight grain piece stayed much tighter than the other.   As Ron said the other day if you use the wider grain stuff it compresses more, and drilling a smaller hole will obviously be required.    I personally like maple. I've learned to notch it and read it so I'll be looking for my own sources and resaw my own as I once did. Or maybe we can get some Chinese/asian firm to make the laminated cap stuff and sell it to us all reeaall cheap.          Dale <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> I have four 1/2" thick maple boards from Pianotek (presumably Bolduc?). Nice straight grain, but only 10 to 11 rings per inch. The "quarter sawn" angles range from near 90 degrees to much of it around 70 degrees. So what, use this on bass bridges? Or maybe the bridge body? Are you being sarcastic regarding the "Sorry about my "are you being sarcastic" remark the other day"? I don't even see that stuff (unless its funny!). Terry Farrell   </BLOCKQUOTE> </HTML>