Tightening the plate...

[Richard Brekne]

Frank Weston wrote:

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Brekne <richardb@c2i.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: Friday, February 25, 2000 4:30 PM
> Subject: Re: Tightening the plate...
>
> >Ah come on now Frank.... grin...
> >
> >Frank Weston wrote:
> >
> >> Why would you want to tighten the plate screws?
> >>
> >> Frank Weston
>
> How much should the plate screws be tightened?  How can one be sure that the
> screw is really loose instead of just positioned over a set of dowels that
> are a little too short as a result of dry conditions or installation error?
> How can you tell if tightening the rim screws is affecting downbearing?
> Tighten screws over the pinblock all you want, but before you mess with the
> screws around the rim you had damn well better know what you're doing.  One
> of the most highly regarded soundboard installers on the East Coast once
> told me that the main reason to get dowels exactly the right length is that
> if they're too short, sooner or later some over-enthusiastic tech will come
> along and tighten the rim screws excessively.
>
> My point is that it is very difficult to know just exactly how much rim
> screws should be tightened, if at all.  The potential for harm is much
> greater than the potential for improvement.  Just blindly tightening screws
> to a set torque or because they seem a little loose is a foolish
> undertaking.

Grin... Frank da.... of course one should excercise due care, and one should
know what one is doing,, that being said.. if the screws are indeed loose... and
if you are in possession of such judgement skills that you know that they are
loose... then they need tightening.... or what ????  This is not so difficult to
figure out really. As with everything else we do, we need to know when and when
not to do a thing, and then how to go about it.

btw.. not all manufactures use dowels, not all use the system Brian scetched for
us... there are several methods employed for fastening plates to the rim.  But
none of these include leaving the bolts / screws / whathaveyou... loose. Loose
is loose... am I right or am I right ??

>
>
> Frank Weston
>
> Frank Weston

--
Richard Brekne
Associate PTG, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway