[pianotech] string height measurements story stick

jim at grandpianosolutions.com jim at grandpianosolutions.com
Sun Mar 25 15:02:47 MDT 2012


Coming to this thread late.

I came up with this dead simple story stick  to deal with interior 
dimensions in a previous work life.  Its so dead simple, accurate and 
fool proof(since no numbers are recorded) I was able to get real ballsy 
when taking on-site dimensions and templating back to the shop for 
fabrication.  I gave it to Fastcap and they sat on my it for a couple 
years before  finally turning it down.  Every "improvement" they added 
to it to  "add value", made it less useful.

Simply, a  length of aluminum screen spreader extrusion, available at 
most hardware/lumber stores or online.  A piece of poplar is sized for a 
friction fit, and profiled at the top how ever makes sense to you. I 
bring it to a narrow flat point for this use, to limit errors in the 
readin if  taken slightly out of perpendicular to the keybed.

The poplar is fit so that with one hand you can extend it to the 
measuring point smoothly, and the slight friction fit holds it at that 
position, without any 2nd or 3rd hand contortions, while you record the 
dimension.

A small piece of the poplar sliding story stick is used as a plug in the 
bottom of the extrusion and staked in place by dimpling the extrusion 
with a center punch a few times, to make sure the index surface does not 
get bunged up.

If you use the extrusion over and over, you can save each piano's 
personal string heights for posterity on a little 6" piece of poplar.  
No numbers to screw up.

I set these up in lengths up to 10 ft, and by adding pins at the ends, 
or different end shapes, can use them to square cabinetry, sash, door 
openings. whatever, quickly, without numbers, with a precision that as I 
say, lets one get  ballsy in a way I wouldn't have dreamed before I came 
up with them.

For you California dudes I named it the "Inner Dimension" <G>.

Jim Ialeggio




-- 
Jim Ialeggio
jim at grandpianosolutions.com
(978) 425-9026
Shirley, MA

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