Soundboard installation, next topic : the glue

[David Love]

I was more using your post for a springboard to address the topic of
soundboard replacement or not.  It may not have been what you were really
addressing.  I agree, that on the glues, I think for the board you need to
use whichever adhesive gives you the best chance of a successful glue joint
and that really trumps all other concerns.  While the techniques for
removing various residual adhesives may vary, nothing is undoable and
hopefully it won't have to be done very often.  

Having recently tried to scrape a polyester finish off a soundboard that I
was hoping to reuse or remove bushings attached with PVC does make one
sympathetic to choices of adhesives and finishes in other situations.  

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net 
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of John Delacour
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 8:55 AM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: RE: Soundboard installation, next topic : the glue

At 06:19 -0800 23/1/08, David Love wrote:

>The tradition in Europe is to salvage the soundboard at all costs.  I think
>that's based more on tradition and attitude about maintaining the integrity
>of the original instrument than whether the soundboard is actually
>performing its engineering function in an effective manner or can even with
>extensive repairs...

Be that as it may, I was disputing not the desirability of replacing 
a defunct soundboard, since I agree that most repairs are simply 
cosmetic, but the need to use a soluble glue to do the job.  The 
"next man" is very unlikely to curse if he finds he needs to spend an 
extra half hour scraping off the thin residue of urea-formaldehyde or 
epoxy adhesives off less than a square foot of hardwood.  By all 
means think of the next man the next time you refinish a piano in 
cellulose or polyester or use PVA for the action repairs.  Then he 
will really have some reason to curse!

JD

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