Soundboard Shims

[John Musselwhite]

>This is a question for all the rebuilders out there but isn't an attempt to
>open a dialog on soundboard replacement.

If anyone wants to get one going I'd certainly be interested in following it.

I'm not much of a rebuilder (I prefer regulating), but I can tell you what I
do when the necessity arises...

>That work completed, the board is all sanded,etc., ready for finishing.
>EXCEPT... the beautifully installed shims stand out like a sore thumb, visual
>evidence of the necessary surgury.
>
>I've wrestled with this enigma for years. What is the easiest,simplest,way of
>camoflageing these white(new wood) stripes. I have tried lots of things

I don't use new wood for soundboard shims unless I absolutely have to such
as in a newer piano. I have a number of old soundboard scraps around and if
I need a shim I'll cut it from an old board, matching grain and colour the
best I can. While the repairs have never been totally invisible, they
haven't looked that bad and I've never had one pop out or open up on me.

For information's sake, I cook the boards in exactly the same way Tony Geers
suggests in his sb classes, with the shims sitting on the board. I've never
had a board fail since I took that class at a PTG convention. Thank you Tony!

Does anyone else use old wood for shims?

                                John



John Musselwhite, RPT               Calgary, Alberta Canada
musselj@cadvision.com              sysop@67.cambo.cuug.ab.ca