<html> <body> Hi Wim,              I have done several satisfactory repairs with the strings on, in the following manner. Drape the grand in blankets to the floor,  and hang 2  X  50Watt Damp Chaser heater rods to the beams. Leave for 3 to 4 days to dry the piano down, cracks usually open up quite nicely. Thread a piece of string under the strings. Now you need a second pair of hands to help you. Attach string to some PVC electrical tape,  Kind of play tug of war with your helper and pull the tape with the string, keeping the shiny side sliding along the underside of the strings. Position and align over crack. Starting from the approximate centre of the tape Smooth it out over the crack with rubber mute. Flip piano up side down Use a hypodermic to fill the crack with thin West system epoxy, You can tint the epoxy with paint stain, to make the repair very hard to find.   One drip is all that is needed.  Wait about 2 hrs and you can trim any excess epoxy, quite neatly with a sharp  chisel. It will have the consistency of rubber. If you don't add a drop of stain, the epoxy shows like a dark clear pencil line. Leave 24hrs to cure. Set up piano and remove tape. Caution do not use masking tape. The epoxy will wick into it, and you will have one heck of a mess to clean up.  Don't ask how I know.  Blush, blush. Ops. Regards Roger At 10:17 PM 3/12/2003 -0500, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>In a message dated 3/13/03 1:03:35 AM !!!First Boot!!!, swiftspiano@hotmail.com writes: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Another thought that occurred to me is using a thick epoxy.  Again, turn the piano upside down and repair from the bottom.  This method might even bond the board under the rims. </blockquote> This method could work, but you would need to let the tension down. Use masking tape to cover the cracks from the soundboard side. Then turn the piano upside down, and use A runny wood filler epoxy, the type Webb Phillips sells, to fill in the cracks. After the epoxy has dried, turn the piano back over, and remove the masking tape, and retune the piano. I've done this with the stirrings off, but it might work with the strings on. The main problem is getting under the plate, if there are cracks there. Wim </blockquote></body> </html>