<HTML>In a message dated 11/22/02 9:53:44 AM Central Standard Time, davidlovepianos@earthlink.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I prefer to not have to put the piano through plate and string assembly with a new finish.  It's easy to nick it up.  So I usually send it to the finisher after I am done with the rebuild.  The only real problem the plate causes is the finishing of the inner rim.  So, I strip and sand the finish on the inner rim when the plate is out.  There are exceptions.  I am doing a piano now that was painted white, including the inner rim.  The work involved in removing the white was extensive enough that I sent it off after the board was done but without the plate.  When it came back I only needed to drop the plate and go from there.  I picked up an apron for the case so that I could work around the piano without damaging the finish on the sides, covered the stretcher with a thick piece of felt during restringing, and covered the front edge of the key bed.  David Love <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> </BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE> My refinisher also did the board. (much better than I could have done it), and sometimes even the plate. When I got the case, plate, and legs back, I would do the stringing. I covered the stretcher with a piece of 1" x 4" wood with felt under it, which I taped to the case. I also got a piece of nogahide, about 15 feet long and 2 feet wide, that I taped to the rim. That protected the piano all the way around. Yes, I had to be careful. But the finisher was willing to come back and do some minor touch ups, sometimes (if it wasn't too bad) for free, instead of having to deal with a heavy case. Wim </HTML>