<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2604" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joe</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have repaired many soundboards,  = mostly with shims from a supplier. I also have used older soundboard spruce, and for = cosmetic reason it looks better, not trying to cover up that the = soundboard have been repaired, just that old spruce, seems to be working better = with old spruce. I have not had any problems with new cracks after, or that the = glue joints did not hold. I mainly do soundboard repairs in winter, = cause humidity ( in Denmark) are lower, and cracks more open of course. I have = never used epoxy, and I don“t like the idea of putting plastic into a = soundboard made of spruce. (maybe me that are to conservative)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I don“t do many uprights, but have = repaired one or two, talking just soundboard.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I most say that I now use shims from a = supplier, cause it is a problem to get old spruce from a soundboard and make shims = that go deep enough.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Best regards </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sųren Egetved</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=joegarrett@earthlink.net = href="mailto:joegarrett@earthlink.net">Joe Garrett</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, March 26, 2005 = 8:41 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Shimming Sound = Boards</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Soren said: "</FONT>Yes it could, and = it“s the way to do it."</DIV> <DIV><BR>Soren,</DIV> <DIV>And why is that?!!!</DIV> <DIV>Personally, I don't think it makes one wit of difference, if you = choose decent shim stock! (with the grain configuration in the right direction...which most from suppliers is NOT!) Make yer own. The only = reason I use shims is for Grands. And, that's strickly for cosmetic reasons. On = Uprights that really doesn't apply, so use Epoxy. On the grands I = install the shims w/Epoxy. It's more forgiving of gaps, etc., and can be blended = to match the board a bit. I don't try to cover up the fact that a board has = been shimmed. I did a 9' Knabe once, that someone had done a Faux Finish on = and I was really ticked, because, if I'd have seen the yards of shims = already in the board, I would have told the client to have a new board instead. End = results were less than favorable with shims. Hopefully, I won't make that = mistake again!  :-(</DIV> <DIV>Best Regards,<BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<BR>Captain, Tool Police<BR>Squares R I</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>