Removing bridge caps

[Farrell]

Yeah, but how does a couple hundred shoe pegs affect the circle of sound? I wonder if it might cause a tapping sound?

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@cox.net>
To: <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net>; "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2003 7:48 PM
Subject: Re: Removing bridge caps


> 
> >What are the best ways people have found to remove an old bridge cap
> >(attached to the board) when one wants to preserve the maximum amount of
> >bridge root, i.e., separating the body from the cap at the joint.  I have
> >planed them down in the past.  I recall seeing a jig to hold a router bit
> >that straddled the bridge as well which I have not used (and don't recall
> >the exact design).  But I have never tried to take the cap off at the old
> >joint.  Can this be done effectively by, say, planing down near the joint
> >and steaming it to loosen what is probably hide glue (1923).  Or might this
> >potentially compromise the vertical laminations of the root?
> 
> Planing, chiseling or routing works. You can stop just above the root 
> (maybe a millimeter) and steam, chisel and scrape the rest without a 
> problem if you're paying attention. I never liked the idea of cutting the 
> bridge root down to the bottom of the pin holes. There's no stress on the 
> pins to speak of down there anyway, so why go to the trouble and cut the 
> bridge root in half? All the pressure and abuse happens in the cap. Some 
> toothpicks or shoe pegs and a little epoxy or Titebond in the holes will be 
> quite adequate.
> 
> Ron N
> 
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