<!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 6.00.2800.1264" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: = #ffffff" bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Hello Dale</DIV> <DIV>Just returned from my mini-marathon Harpsichord tuning - two = Harpsichords in 10 minutes tonight - Emanuelle took the opera so slow they had to = make up the deficit by cutting down the interval time. Yuk! And one  Harpsichord had gone up to A=445 so had to = bring it down AND check the Conductors' Harpsichord as well. Now that's shifting it = I'd say!</DIV> <DIV>Thanks for the info on soundboard measurement proceedure. I'm = tired already. Look forward to the next exciting instalment but have signed = myself off this site for a week since we're away on holiday as from today  = ;-)</DIV> <DIV>Regards</DIV> <DIV>Michael G (UK)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=Erwinspiano@aol.com href="mailto:Erwinspiano@aol.com">Erwinspiano@aol.com</A> </DIV> <DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, October 24, 2003 4:37 PM</DIV> <DIV><B>Subject:</B> Make a soundboard--Measurements</DIV></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 10/23/2003 11:19:33 AM Pacific Daylight Time, <A = href="mailto:michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk">michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk</= A> writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px = solid"><FONT face=Arial>Hello RicB<BR>It would be very important to set down the = criteria for measurement of<BR>soundboards. That must be the starting point. If = everyone who wants to<BR>partake in this research takes all the = stipulated points for measurements<BR>then there might be some realistic steps = taken. Be sure to make the names of<BR>these points international!..;-)<BR>Regards<BR>Michael G (UK)<BR>----- </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" = color=#000040>     <FONT size=3><STRONG>Michael, Ric Glenn</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3><STRONG>   Well, Michael, I don't know if you'd call it research. List you proposed on measuring things & observations are really probably = already outlined in the journal & are just some of the measurements all = soundboard installers use. </STRONG></FONT></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>  I.E. Measuring string heights, Plate height, bass & treble 88, mark the = front corner of the plate & measure the distance fore & aft in mm to = the case side. These locate the plate. Note any odd things about the bridges. = I.E. inadequate side bearings, strings not going straight to the hitch pins, = funky notching angels you don't wish to duplicate. Measure down to the top of = the plate at the bosses. This allows you to set the height of you dowels = later if you use them.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>  Measure the string scale. If funky after unstringing measure string lengths = & crunch the no.s. Often note 88 is too short for decent tensions in the last = section. You may want to move the bridge as on many older 1800s S&S grands.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>   Note the angle of the bridge top to the board. I don't often do this but = every piece of info can be helpful.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>   (Observation)Look at the thickness of the board thru the action cavity = at the belly rail & see how it tapers. (Mental note)</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>  Observation) Any crown left any bearing left. Does the bearing string = still touch the bridge now the strings are removed. is the bridge below the = string plane?</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>  Pull the plate. Pull the bridge pins. make a GOOD pattern noting hole side notch = cut. Use a bridge pin bit drilled straight down thru the bridge to locate the = mylar pattern. Place mylar (I use 10 mil) over bridge and tap no. 6 pin thru = mylar. It make a cleaner hole than drilling thru it.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>  I always measure at least first and last string lengths on the long bridge = & bass bridge. </FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>   Very important: Bridge location markers.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>   I do this 2 ways. I drill straight down. straight is very important thru the = top of the bridge at not 88 with a 3/16 bit and thru the board & into the = belly rail. This will help locate the top of the bridge very precisely. I also = do the same in the tenor end, drilling into a beam if possible. I also take = direct measurements with a metric ruler to the side of the case at each end of = each bridge. </FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>  I also measure the distance from the no. 88  bridge pin hole to the side = of the case & stretcher. This eliminates the possibility of getting pattern = located  wrong. There are other ways. Rebuilders please chime in.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>   Drill out dowels remove treble cap screws. Now the fun part. It's time = to knock the board out</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>   Any body tired yet? More later. going to work</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>  Later--Dale</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 = size=3>  </FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=3></FONT></STRONG> </DIV></BODY></HTML>