Tightening the plate...

[ANRPiano@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 2/27/00 8:11:16 AM Central Standard Time, 
klavier@annap.infi.net writes:

<<  I ask again:
 Why would you want to tighten plate screws? >>

Good question Frank.

Let me try a few points.

I am not sure it is all that terrible if some screws are loose, I bet we 
would be all surprised how many loose plate screws are out there.  I once had 
a customer who wanted me to rebuild his 4' 10" grand of unknown origin.  When 
I arrived to see his creature he had already unscrewed the plate and wanted 
to know if he should remove the strings?!  The tension was still full.  He 
was hoping to help me out and save a few dollars!  After panicking and 
quickly reinstalling the screws (out of order of course) surprisingly the 
piano had sustained no damage to plate and little to the tuning.

The only two absolutely compelling reasons I can think of to tighten plate 
screws would be if they became obviously loose, the head clearly off of the 
plate, and the plate was buzzing against a screw.

As far as how tight, without a torque wrench available, I would say only 
until the head snugs down to the plate, no further.

Any other ideas?

Andrew Remillard