<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Re:tooling up for soundboard replacement</TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <STYLE type=text/css>BLOCKQUOTE { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } DL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } UL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } OL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } LI { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } </STYLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1276" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I can't help myself.  Much as I = hate to offend my  colleague on the other side of the aisle, (RPT) I  AS = THE RESIDENT EL CHEAPO,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Let me say that I just can't = resist  giving you the following info:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>McMaster Carr lists </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3/8x3 inch set screws $11.80 / = 10</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3/8/3.5 inch set screws $7.75/10  = (what's going on here?)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3/8/4 inch set screw $2.39  = EACH</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Headless hanger bolts 3/8/4 inch $7.12 = for 25</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Not that I'm thrifty.  I'm just = cheap.  Hanger bolts are available from good hardware stores.  They are = adaptable for most jobs.  Just need to be cut off to the right length and = slotted for screwdriver adjustment.   I've used them for adjustment of = plate height after chipping with no problem.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The baldwin system has the following = problem.  No adjustment after the fact.   All screws must be = removed  and one screw dimension is the only variation possible.  I like my system.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Carl Meyer Ptg assoc<BR>Santa Clara, Ca.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>---- Original Message ----- </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=sec@overspianos.com.au = href="mailto:sec@overspianos.com.au">Overs Pianos</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, December 06, = 2003 1:48 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re:tooling up for = soundboard replacement</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="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 cite="" type="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" color=#0000ff size=+1><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 color=#000000 size=-2><BR></FONT><FONT = color=#000000>Web http://overspianos.com.au</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT = color=#000000>mailto:info@overspianos.com.au<BR>_______________________= </FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>