Removing Bass Strings

[A440A@AOL.COM]

John writes: 
>I cant remember what the consensus was either. But I have never had a
problem,
>removing and replacing bass strings, without lowering the tension.
 
    I agree, I have never had a problem, but that is with high quality pianos.
I have taken plates out of lesser pianos, like Cable or Jesse French,  and
found a fearful amount of stress already in them, either because the case
distorted over time, or the fitting of the attachment to the rim was poorly
done.  Some of the plates were bent almost 1.5 inch over the nose bolt, or
from corner to corner.  
    It seems a poorly attached plate  would be more likely to fracture with
large changes of tension, but I have never had a problem with the better
grands. 
Regards,
Ed Foote