<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=windows-1252"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV>Del wrote:</DIV> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Now, you would think, = with all this massive plate and belly structure (the three longitudinal = bellybraces are fully 100 mm x 150 mm) the idea would be to provide a solid foundation = for the soundboard. But, no, the soundboard is semi-floating on a liner = approximately 15 mm tall by about 35 or 40 mm wide. It is attached only every 300 or 400 = mm. You might be able to make out the small wood blocks with screws--there are = five of them--along the bass side. That's how the entire soundboard is mounted--including underneath that massive plate structure.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" = color=#000080></FONT> </DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080>I'm trying as hard as I can to picture this (semi-floating board), but don't think I'm there yet. This piano has an = inner rim? Rather than the board being glued to the inner rim, there is a = liner - perhaps much like an upright liner? Is this liner continuously glued to = the inner rim? Or how is the liner attached to the case? Then the board is = attached to the liner, but only at 300 to 400 mm intervals. The blocks you = describe are clear in the picture, and they appear to be on the top side of the = board. So they are simply like wooden washers for the screws that hold the board = to the liner? So the board is in direct contact with the liner? In the liner = top surface in one contiguous plane? If so, is not the board glued to the = liner? Would this then make the board non-floating (much like a modern board = mount, only having a liner between inner rim and board)? Or does the liner have = little prominent (raised) areas at each block location, which would then make = the soundboard floating, but only attached at the block = locations.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080>What an interesting piano for sure! I have = always thought the largely unsupported flat bellyrail of modern grands to = be a big design drawback when compared to an upright that can have a big plate = flange (much like on your Chickering) against the bellyrail/liner, as well as = the pinblock on the other side of that. But this design gets you that full = plate support for the bellyrail. Can you think of a single drawback to this = design? Seems to me it only has positives going for it (except cost of production???)?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>...........the tuning = pin holes are size-on-size with the tuning pins.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080>So you are describing a .282" (or maybe .283" = or whatever would allow free rotation but little side play) hole = drilled in the plate for a .282" #2 pin - and of course, the block drilled with = whatever slightly smaller sized bit that would yield appropriate torque? Wow! = What a system! An open-faced pinblock with, instead of a veneer of fancy burl = walnut, a 1/4" or so veneer of iron! Why the heck not? The would get you way past = the Baldwin & Steinway quandary of no plate bushings, what about all = these jobs where some pins lean forward and rub on the plate, the unsupported extra = 1/4" of tuning pin, etc.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080>I take it the inner rim is of sawn timbers? = What is the outer rim made of to get those squared-off corners? Any idea when this = beastie was made? 1880s or earlier from the 85 notes, but maybe much earlier = from the primitive action? This is perhaps one of the very early full plates = (where the plate fully covers the pinblock with the web?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080>I love the way the plate front curves and = fits into the massive stretcher. Looks like rosewood veneers?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080>Thanks for the peek at this = piano.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008080>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>