Gluing sound board cracks back to ribs.

[bases-loaded@juno.com]

Ric -

I agree with Jon.  Since you have stated that you do not have access to
the front side, you do have a problem of drawing up a board that sounds
as if it has curled away quite a bit.  

I have had luck pulling it back to the rib before drilling (and then
gluing and screwing) by spinning a few drywall screws on either side of
the repair area to create a "handle" you can pull on to bring it back to
the rib while you run make the repairs.

If the board is still tight on the other side of the crack, I wouldn't
worry about screwing it down.

Mark Potter
bases-loaded@juno.com

On Sun, 13 Feb 2000 08:07:16 -0500 Jon Page <jonpage@mediaone.net>
writes:
> Ric,
> The best repair for this is the screw application you mentioned.
> 
> At 07:59 PM 02/12/2000 -0600, you wrote:
> >The problem is a cracked soundboard, and one side of the crack has
> >pulled away from the rib about as far as to slip a business card
> >through if it were cut in half.    This is in a full sized upright,
> >player piano actually.  I must make any repair from the rib side.  
> > 
> >       The repair I am most familiar is drilling a pilot hole 
> through the
> >rib and SB, then drilling a body hole through the rib, stopping the
> >bit with ground down hack saw blade, or old palette knife. Then
> >smearing glue into the crack with the thin blade and running the
> >screw in. 
> >       Schaff (new catalog) offers a "sound board toggle" p 82.    
> Do I
> >understand  these are left in the piano after the repair is
> >completed?  Or is there a way to remove them and fill the access
> >hole with a dowel? On p. 62 is a "soundboard repair clamp".  (wire,
> >locking nut and wingnut) But this looks like one must have access
> >to both sides of the soundboard.  Is this correct?   Both of these
> >appeal to me because it looks like they can draw the seperation
> >together with more strength than a screw through a 1/4 inch of
> >spruce.  
> >       If any one has used these repairs and can advise, I would be 
> most
> >grateful.  Or perhaps there is something out there I am not aware
> >of.   I know of the repair in Reblitz using thin bolts and washers
> >but  that needs access to both sides which I do not have. On p.
> >128, illus. 7-14 is the exact problem I am facing. One side of the
> >crack has curled away, the other seems intact.  Should I screw down
> >the other side to be safe?  ---ric 
> >