Interesting yes, but very flawed in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, i will go over it joyfully again when i have more time. But just speed reading through it here's my thoughts.
Is this just for a "Academic" purpose or a real life making a better product purpose?
What is the authors pedigree? I'll put more credence in a single paragraph from someone who has spent their entire life making pianos, than a student in a school writing a paper.
And why focus on riblets? Those are band aid fixes to poor rib design. (poor spacing, poor dimensioning, etc.)
And didn't he give mention to the wrong Fandrich. I thought Darrel was the Riblet Master, not Del.
And last but not least, you can't rely on the computer as the final arbiter of good tone. The ear has to be developed.
Here is an example of the kind of skill one needs to develop when working on musical instruments
I was at McMorrows shop once and he was altering the bridge mass of a Chickering by ear. So again that similar skill.
Something written by someone with that kind of developed skill and a lifetime of experience to back it up would catch my attention.
-chris
Chernobieff Piano Restorations
Chris Chernobieff ( pronounced chur-no-bif )
phone: 865-986-7720