<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2600.0" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> "Fine Woodworking" Techniques 5, = which I purchased in 1983, has an article written by John Lively dealing with = the advantages of larger vintage woodworking machines made of cast grey iron. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>qoute....  "Powermatic is = licensed, he said, to use the Meehanite process, a patented technology for making a high = grade, close grained grey iron that is superior for use in machinery castings. = The process ensures that the molecular constitution of the cast iron is = consistent from day to day and from year to year, a condition that makes milling = and grinding more efficient and that contributes to product = uniformity.  We can control the aging time for our castings. He explained that the = traditional method of letting cast parts sit for months uncovered in the open air is = still the best means of relieving internal stresses created by the casting = process. Aging gives these stresses time to resolve themselves before the part is = milled and ground" ISBN 0-918804-17-5</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Del, if you are interested I can scan = the article, and fax to you. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Perhaps this is an entirely different = process then is used to make plates for pianos, but I somehow doubt it. I recall = seeing an article years ago about a foundry, I think in Europe where piano plates = were only one of the many products that were produced from the same raw = materials. I know Powermatic has a plant in McMinnville, Tenn. Perhaps they have an = R&D department. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Owen</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face=Arial = size=2></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" = size=3>> ....Foundry castings need time to "cure" for strength....<BR><BR>Do you = have any technical reference for this? I've been trying to track down<BR>solid information on the subject for some time--but to no avail. It's = long<BR>been assumed and talked about--at least within the piano industry--but = I'm<BR>after specific details. What 'strength' parameters change over = time?<BR>Stiffness? Impact strength? Compression strength? What?<BR><BR>Del</FONT><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>