cracked pressure bar

[Ron Nossaman]

>After screwing down the pressure bar on a Julius Bauer vertical, I
>noticed  hairline cracks radiating from 5 of the screw-holes. On this
>particular Bauer there are supports which limit how far the pressure bar
>can be screwed down. I don't feel that the screws were over-tightened.
>The strings have not been brought up to tension--just enough to hold the
>coils tight (the piano was recently restrung). I had purchased the piano
>from another local rebuilder who had previously had the pressure bar
>replated. There were no signs of cracks but I did notice a crazing of
>the plating along the entire length. Some questions:
>
>1. Has anyone had a pressure bar repaired with success and what process
>was used?
>2. Has anyone had a pressure bar manufactured and/or does anyone know a
>good machinist who would want to tackle this at a reasonable price?
>3. What about leaving the pressure bar as is and using longer round head
>screws and washers?
>
>Any help with this will be greatly appreciated.
>Regards,
>Jack Kehe
>Chicago
>jkehe@ameritech.net
>

Hi Jack, (you can't say that on an airplane any more)

I overhauled an old upright years ago that had a cast iron pressure bar that
would have made a good shelf. It stuck out so far you couldn't get a strip
mute between it and the hammers. I deleted it from the inventory when the
piano was strung. Went out and got some steel rod stock of what I thought
looked like an appropriate diameter, ground it into a 'D' cross section,
bent it to shape, marked and drilled holes (the old bar only had a couple of
lags, but the plate had a series of holes about every third unison - so I
used them), and installed it. It worked very well, wasn't even a little bit
difficult, but was obscenely expensive in time for what it was. I hope this
cheers you up. 

 Ron