<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <html><head><style type="text/css"></style><title>Re:tooling up for soundboard replacement</title></head><body> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Hi list,<br>   Thanks for all the great tips,and pictures on the soundboard install.I got<br> the plate out today,and will start taking out the board tomorrow.This will be<br> the first board I have ever removed,and replaced.I have to get the board<br> out,leaving the dowels in place,or so I am told.<br> Best,</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Hazen Bananister</blockquote> <div><br></div> <div>Hazen,</div> <div><br></div> <div>The sound board removal operation won't be easy if you leave the original dowels in place. We drill the dowels down to below the panel/inner rim joint before removing the board, and plug the holes in the inner rim prior to installing the new board.</div> <div><br></div> <div>Furthermore, as Andrew Remillard mentioned in his post, a much better solution than using dowels again would be to re-install the plate using the Baldwin plate mounting system<font color="#0000FF"> (which is by far the best system)</font>. We use this system for our own 225 piano, using 7/16" thread stock. It isn't easy finding machine bolts which are 150 mm long and threaded all the way to the head, so we get around the problem by using Booker rod<font color="#0000FF"> (threaded lengths of rod which are supplied in lengths of 36" or 1 metre)</font>. We fit dome nuts to 150 mm cut lengths of rod to form the 'bolt' assembly that we require, securing the dome nut with Loctite 680<font color="#0000FF"> (which is the strongest grade)</font>. The washers under our bolts are custom turned from free machining brass which is chrome plated<font color="#0000FF"> (the home page image on our website shows the dome nuts and washers fitted to piano no. 3 - click on the small image to see a full screen version)</font>. The hole in the plate, visible at the left edge of the image, is for hexagon wrench access to the cap screw screw underneath the plate<font color="#0000FF"> (which is fitted into the inner rim)</font>. The cap screw is for setting the plate height, before fitting the perimeter bolts. For those who are interested in seeing the enlarged image directly, go to;</div> <div><br></div> <div>http://overspianos.com.au/bkcl.html     (image size 136K)</div> <div><br></div> <div>When fitting the plate to the piano, we run a thread into the rim to full depth to 'cut a thread' into the inner rim before fitting the dome-nut bolts, so that we don't damage the finish on the chromed dome nut with excessive torque during installation.</div> <div><br></div> <div>The only further qualification I'd like to add Hazen is that if the piano you are rebuilding is owned by a client, get their permission for incorporating any changes which are not original. Steinway can get pretty nasty when it comes to attacking technicians for making changes to their original designs.</div> <div><br></div> <div>They've threatened us in the past on two occasions.</div> <div><br></div> <div>Getting back to your sound board removal task, it might also help if you cut away (using a chisel) the panel to outer rim glue joint before trying to knock out the board. Glue joints aren't very strong in tension but in sheer they are amazing. The board should practically fall out once you get rid of the joint between the outer rim and panel and the dowels.</div> <div><br></div> <div>I prefer to get the sound board out intact, because it makes a good template for cutting out the new panel, and we also use it (after removing the original bridges and ribs) as a jig for locating the new ribs on the vacuum press.</div> <div><br></div> <div>Best,</div> <div>Ron O.</div> <x-sigsep><pre>-- </pre></x-sigsep> <div><font face="Times New Roman" size="+1" color="#0000FF"><b>OVERS PIANOS - SYDNEY</b></font></div> <div><font color="#000000"><i>   </i></font><font color="#0000FF"><i>Grand Piano Manufacturers</i></font><font color="#000000"><br> _______________________</font></div> <div><font size="-2" color="#000000"><br> </font><font color="#000000">Web http://overspianos.com.au</font></div> <div><font color="#000000">mailto:info@overspianos.com.au<br> _______________________</font></div> </body> </html>