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<DIV>Thanks Del. I feel like I've got some good ammo now.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080>"But, I suspect you're thinking like a =
boatbuilder now.
The method you're describing sound some like fairing a boat hull.
No?"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Boy oh boy, you should see what such a tool can help you do in =
prepping a
transom before varnishing. You can get the mirror finish without all =
those
wigglies you so often see! Now how did you know that was where I got the =
idea
from?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"<FONT color=#000080>I did have a small, but excellent (Inca), =
thickness
planer to thickness the stock with. This was pretty expensive back then, =
but
pretty good ones are available for just a few hundred bucks now. One of =
the
table-top 12"ers will work just fine."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>I have my new Dewald 12" planer that works great! Or at least it =
did before
I ran a board with a drywall screw in it through :-(. I guess that =
is why
they give you and extra set of blades with the machine! I'm sure I will =
be using
it for a panel to get close to desired thickness.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"<FONT color=#000080>I edge glued them with simple bar =
clamps--still do,
though I've modified them a bit to get them to stay in place--and hand =
planed
them to thickness with a variety of hand planes. Then =
sanded."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>This sounds like the way to go with board #1. This is pretty =
consistent
with what Stephen Birkett was suggesting (thanks Stephen!). OK, I'm =
ready to
roll! Just gotta get a couple pianos out of my shop and to their owners =
homes
and then I'll rip into this project.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Have you gotten all this Greg Newell??????</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Terry Farrell <SPAN =
id=__#Ath#SignaturePos__></SPAN> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=pianobuilders@olynet.com
href="mailto:pianobuilders@olynet.com">Delwin D Fandrich</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, January 18, 2002 =
11:40
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: my own =
Soundboard</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
href="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">Farrell</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> January 18, 2002 5:01 =
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: my own =
Soundboard</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Woooh! Yeah. OK, I see now. I guess that is the difference =
between
someone that builds quite a few panels, and one that is thinking =
about his
first! I suspect such a machine is a bit beyond me at this time. I =
studied
the picture for quite a while trying to figure out exactly what does =
what on
this machine and am not quite there - don't even try to enlighten =
me,
because clearly, I will not be using any such machine for a long
time!</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>A semi-reasonable alternative =
might be found
at:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080> <A
=
href="http://www.grizzly.com/products/item.cfm?Product_ID=14905&&=
amp;User_ID=142096&St=4536&St2=86010195&St3=-47549886=
&DS_ID=1">http://www.grizzly.com/products/item.cfm?Product_ID=149=
05&&User_ID=142096&St=4536&St2=86010195&St3=-=
47549886&DS_ID=1</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>Just in case this doesn't work, =
this is the
address of Grizzly Tools. And specifically, their Model G5394 Stroke =
Sander.
It's a bit smaller--a 58" x 24" working table size--but I know of at =
least one
rebuilder who has used it successfully to sand even concert grand =
sized
soundboards. Like ours, it requires some outboard supports to hold the =
things
up. But the price is more like $1,600 than $4,600.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>If you don't yet have a Grizzly =
catalog, you
should get one. Decent imported machinery at reasonable prices with =
reasonable
support.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>But, what I do have, and what I think might work reasonably =
well, is a
BIG sanding block. I mean big. I found a real nice flat (like =
totally
flat) piece of poplar (I think it is about 6 inches wide by =
about 5
feet long) and epoxied a strong lattice work of straight dry oak =
planks up
on edge (just to try and keep the poplar board real flat, i.e. not =
twisting,
bowing, etc. - the back side of my poplar plank looks like the =
underneath of
a Bosendorfer). Then I made a couple clamp thingees on the back =
side, one at
each end. Then I bought three sanding belts - I forget right =
off what
grits - 60, 80, 120 or there abouts - that are 6 inches wide =
and 3 feet
in diameter (6-foot-plus in circumference). Cut them and attach =
the
belts such that I have what is just like the little half-sheet =
rubber
sanding blocks, only mine is 6 inches by 5 feet.</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>You might also invest in a couple =
of good
quality hand planes. Mine are the Japanese draw type which I find =
easier to
use on a large panel such as a soundboard.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>Would you think that careful use of such a sanding =
tool on a
soundboard panel would have the potential to result in =
successful nice,
even, thickness reduction? (The panel would need to be laid on a =
very flat
table of course! - which I have - my regulating table - that =
I made
real flat with use of my BIG sanding block!) A few strokes this way, =
a few
strokes at right angles to that, moving all around, and so
on?</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>Of course. Soundboards were =
surfaced by hand
for many decades before all of our elaborate power stuff came along. =
We're so
far removed from those methods we generally don't even think of them =
until the
power goes off. Personally, I'd work with the hand planes a bit before =
getting
into the sanding. But, I suspect you're thinking like a boatbuilder =
now. The
method you're describing sound some like fairing a boat hull. =
No?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>Unless there are obvious flaws here, I suppose the way to go is =
"try it
and see"!</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Am I on to a simple workable solution here? Or am I just =
treading water
before I sink?</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>So what if you do sink? The =
water's not
deep--paddle ashore and start over. You sound like someone who =
actually learns
from his mistakes. It won't take you long to work out a reasonable =
process you
can then share with others.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>How do others in the "one or two soundboards a year" =
shop do
it? Thanks.</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>My first soundboard =
panels were done
mostly by hand. I used the table saw to rip my boards to width. I =
cleaned up
the edges with a very shooting plane. I did have a small, but =
excellent
(Inca), thickness planer to thickness the stock with. This was pretty
expensive back then, but pretty good ones are available for just a few =
hundred
bucks now. One of the table-top 12"ers will work just fine. (Run the =
boards
through gentle at first--you want to find the grain slope and mark =
them for
orientation.) I edge glued them with simple bar clamps--still do, =
though I've
modified them a bit to get them to stay in place--and hand planed them =
to
thickness with a variety of hand planes. Then sanded.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>Go for it, and good =
luck.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>Del</FONT><FONT
color=#000080></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>