<HTML>In a message dated 9/18/01 12:50:38 PM !!!First Boot!!!, tompiano@gate.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">.  According to him each 1/2 size ( string size) represented 1000lb change in tension, thus he was most concerned around the strut areas not to exceed certain limits. </BLOCKQUOTE> This got me wondering, so I tried changing the wire size down one half size using Parson's PSCALE program.  I used one of the stock scales that comes with the program.  In this case it was the original scale for an Iver's & Pond Upright. The original total tension said 38,960.80 pounds.  After moving the wire sizes down 1/2 size in the plain wire, the total tension reads 37,318.26 pounds.   Then after changing just the core wire on the bass strings down 1/2 size the total tension was 37,306.36  I am certainly not an expert on scaling, and the numbers after changing the bass core wire size are likely misleading since I didn't change the winding diameter numbers, so the program probably figured that the copper winding would be heavier on the smaller core.  (I did this pretty fast) But the plain wire difference means 1652.54 pounds lower tension in this case.  (which if my math is correct, is about a 4% decrease)  If I'm way off on this, I'm sure someone will let me know, (and I'd like to hear if anyone else gets a similar finding) Gordon Large, RPT Mt. Vernon, ME</HTML>