<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=text/html;charset=iso-8859-1 = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content='"MSHTML 4.72.3026.0"' name=GENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=3>Ron,</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT = size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=3>The panel was 3/8" thick.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT = size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=3>The bridge configeration.     This is experimental as stated before.  I was thinking of patenting the thing but the = costs....  If manufacturers today were interested in R&D, maybe we would have an = answer to EP's grasp on the lower end of the market.  As it is, anyone who = tries to improve the pianos performance, tone and etc is going to loose money = trying to do it themselves.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT = size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=3>But firstly the = concepts.  (in loose form)</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT = size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>A bridge is there to transfer the strings vibrations to the = soundboard and to cause other strings to vibrate in sympathy.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The soundboard is there to make the sound of the strings audable to = the ear.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>From this point I designed and built a piano ? totally different to = all others.  Without drawings it may be hard to understand but I will = give it a go.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I laminated the soundboard on a curved bench and succeeded in = retaining about 50% of the benches crown.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This soundboard was then edge shaped and fitted into the iron = frame.  (special iron frame)  The shape was full width at the top (an = upright piano) extending down on the bass side at about 30 degrees in , to the bottom.  In the treble, the board was straight down for about = 18" then angled down to the bottom about 18" from the bass side.</DIV> <DIV>This board was glued and screwed direct into the iron frame.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The bridge was at the top of the piano.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000>I place a board on top of the iron frame that = was shaped to fit in the top of the piano so that it would pivot ? at just = higher than the bearing point and with another board at the bottom of this = upper board that connected the upper board to the soundboard.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000>A full length single bar-bridge was then = placed on top of the upper board at the correct bearing point.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>A pressure bar was fitted to the iron frame.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When the string was fitted, it gave a slight down pressure onto the = soundboard.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In my first attempt, I used a cast aluminium frame,  non = hardened and this bowed in under the pressure of the strings causing the soundboard = to buckle.  It still worked but I could not get the required tension = on the string. I then had an iron frame cast from the same mould (too heavy) = and had to use another board of inferior quality.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It worked, but the results were as I described before.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I live in Darwin Australia, a city of 75000 people.  No = foundry, no timber yard, nothing.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If it had worked better I may have been able to conduct further = experiments as the results showed great promise in producing a quality sound at a = much cheaper price than that of existing construction.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have the drawings (from provisional patent) photos and letters = from University lecturers.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Further information can be provided privately to interested = parties.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Incidently, it is not easy to write about your partial successes or = failures but in the interest of trying to get upright pianos to a status = almost equal to grand pianos and more progress  the pianos in general I = decided to write this for the list.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I know that not all of you will agree but I hope that you find this = good thinking material.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Regards</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Tony Caught  <A href="mailto:caute@accessnt.com.au">caute@accessnt.com.au</A>  = I  have changed my server.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT = size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial = size=2><BR> </DIV></FONT>><BR>>>I built an experimental piano once using a spruce soundboard, laminated = to<BR>>hold a small crown and used no ribs.  Admitidly the bridge was of a<BR>>different type and in a different position than standard, = however, <BR>>><BR>>>The tone was slightly hollow, the volume was = down, but the sustain was<BR>>incredible.   Ihave seen many old = (1800s) piano with seemingly no crown but<BR>>still with a reasonably sound.<BR>>><BR>><BR>>Tony,<BR>><BR>>How thick was the = panel, and how did the bridge configuration and position<BR>>differ from = 'standard'? <BR>><BR>> Ron</BODY></HTML>