Fred, In the version of this I heard a piece of cloth, felt or leather was added to the top of the spring to prevent digging/indenting the bottom of the soundboard. Thoughts? Don Donald McKechnie Piano Technician Ithaca College dmckech at ithaca.edu 607.274.3908 > From: Fred Sturm <fssturm at unm.edu> > Date: September 28, 2009 4:41:40 PM EDT > To: caut at ptg.org > Subject: Re: [CAUT] soundboard possible OT for list > Reply-To: caut at ptg.org > > > On Sep 28, 2009, at 2:08 PM, G Cousins wrote: > >> List, >> I have an issue with a Harpsichord soundboard.(20 yrs old, not a >> kit) 4' rank bridge is rolling due to board warping and waving. >> Strings are now buzing from contact with board. I'm thinking >> perhaps riblets or something around that line. >> This is likely off of typical CAUT concerns or threads so if anyone >> wants to discuss some ideas on this topic contact me off list for >> more details. >> Thanks, >> Gerry Cousins, RPT >> West Chester University of PA >> cousins_gerry at msn.com >> gcousins at wcupa.edu >> > Typically the 8 foot bridge has gone down, and the hitchpin rail > has gone up. The cure I have used, maybe 3 or 4 times (always > successfully so far), is one I learned from Hubbard (though I > modified their instructions quite a bit), called at the time a > "happiness bar." It is one or two dowels (one in the middle, or > perhaps two at 1/3 distances) inserted from beneath, with a fairly > strong spring on top, a coil spring about the diameter of the dowel > or a little less. Drill a hole in the top of the dowel and insert a > smaller diameter dowel in the hole. The smaller dowel is about the > inside diameter of the spring, and holds it in place. The spring > will need to hit the soundboard directly under the 8 foot bridge. > The bottom of the dowel rests on the bottom of the case. > It's actually quite easy to do. Drill a hole (or two) in > appropriate places through the bottom (use a square to measure the > right distances in so that you will be under the bridge). The hole > should be a bit larger than the dowel, and large enough to insert a > finger or two comfortably. Measure the distance up to the bridge, > cut the dowel to be somewhat shorter. Have maybe three strengths of > spring available. Place the spring on the top of the dowel, held in > place as described above, insert in the hole. The spring should > contact the soundboard under the bridge, at which point you press > upward with one finger and manipulate the bottom of the spring so it > slides over and rests on the harpsichord bottom next to the hole. > And maybe decide that a different spring strength or length is > needed, so remove and adjust as needed. The hole needs to be large > enough that a finger can get in and pull the dowel back over to the > hole for removal. > I attach some photos from I class I taught that should help. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/caut.php/attachments/20090928/aa675444/attachment.htm>
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