[CAUT] Bronze wire tension formula

[Jim Busby]

Thanks Robert.

You're correct, it is PB.

It's actually for Baldassin who is doing some new fangled program. One of my piano tech students is a physics major and came up with a formula for him. One variable that I did not know is that PB alloys vary much more than other alloys so it's hard to find one "formula".

I know Lutz and will contact him if Rick needs more.

Thanks.

Jim Busby BYU

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Robert A. Murphy
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 7:44 AM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Bronze wire tension formula

Hi Jim,

You're probably referring to phosphor bronze wire, however, if you're going by the color alone, it very well may be red brass.  Not too long ago I restrung a small clavichord that was phosphor bronze throughout, but, that's very unusual.  The harpsichord builder I worked for in Cambridge, MA back in the '80s (Eric Herz) used to use phosphor bronze in the bass of his instruments, instead of brass - reason being that brass takes 1-2 years to fully "bloom" whereas phosphor bronze is tonally very open from the get-go.  The down side is that p.b. is more brittle than brass, so, it can be tricky to make the hitch pin loops  and the strings also have a shorter life than the brass does.

Call Lutz at The Instrument Workshop (541) 210-2701 and he'll tell you what you have and what's best for that instrument, including a stringing scale.

All best,
Robert
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert A. Murphy
Piano Technician & Curator of Fortepianos
Oberlin Conservatory of Music
cell:    517.285.3269
shop:  440.775.8275


On Jul 28, 2008, at 05:10 PM, Jim Busby wrote:
List,

Do any of you know the tension formula for bronze wire? We need it for a harpsichord stringing program and I can't find it.

Thanks,
Jim Busby

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