Re Resources

[Mark Story]

>I've never replaced a board myself, but I have worked on quite a few pianos
that
>have had new boards installed. These all, however, have used the old bridges
>with no recapping done. The tone on these pianos, though quite musical, did not
>have the attack clarity that I associate with a really fine instrument. It
>prompted me to initiate a program at Oberlin (will start some time next
>semester) that will allow us to recap bridges on many of our old Steinways that
>appear to have good boards. I will gladly tell you what sort of tonal
results we
>get with these instruments.
>
I've done several, most with new caps, and I can confirm that the cap is not
only one of the most critical factors to a sucessfull project, but also the
most difficult.  Crowning, rib gluing and board scaling (thinning) is also
important, but pretty straightforward in it's execution.  For me the bridge
capping and pinning is the "black art."

On the original question about salvaging old boards, I have heard of
instrument restorers doing this, but it's very laborious.  You also have to
keep in mind that a soundboard structure is soft wood glued to soft wood.
The only way of removing the ribs that I could conceive of would be by
cutting the ribs off  carefully down to the glue joint and then trying to
remove the glue - again, very laborious.  My guess is that the results would
not justify the trouble.  Old boards are not just aged wood - they are an
aged engineered structure that had failed due to material failure.  If it
were just a problem of failed glue joints, you might have something to work
with, but you're also dealing with failure due to wood fiber crushing and
structural creep.  I think the idea of salvage for other stringed intruments
is a better idea.

>PS  One thing I have relearned in the getting ready stages for the bridge
>capping is how enjoyable and useful sharp planes and chisels can be.

Aww Ken, wouldn't you rather get your hands on a howling three horsepower
plunge router with a 3/4" carbide bit, spewing dust and pulverized wood into
every cavity in your head, clothing and shop - straining under your grip to
turn loose and shred everything in range of it's power cord? ;^)

Mark
Mark Story, RPT

Eastern Washington University        |  mstory@ewu.edu
Cheney, Washington, USA                |  mark.story@phunnet.org