Pianotech

A customer of mine has a number of pianos, including one very old player piano that he likes to tinker with. He knows it's a better candidate for a sledge hammer than a tuning hammer, but he has fun with it. There is a nasty crack in the lower portion of the long bridge (see below). Any suggestions on a somewhat crude method to pull it back together? Filling with glue/epoxy and clamping? I'd appreciate your thoughts about methods and adhesives with the knowledge that this piano will never be close to a refined instrument.

 Thanks!

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Tim Foster
New Oxford PA
(470) 231-6074
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I would fill the crack with wood glue and use clamps initially. Putting in some small drywall screws horizontally and parallel to the soundboard will help draw the wood together. There is a product called Miller Dowels that you can use that involves a little more work but is much more professional looking. You predrill a hole for the miller dowel using one of the tapered drill bits that is made for miller dowels . The dowels are tapered and can be tapped in or screwed in. If you want to screw them in make a slot on the top of the dowel to fit a screwdriver blade. I have repaired several baldwin bridges that came away from the soundboard causing about a dozen notes to have no sound. To do that repair you use a small drill bit through the top of the bridge and exit the soudboard. This gives you a locator hole that you then use the miller drill bit on. You drill through the soundboard and about half way into the bridge. Coat the miller dowel with wood glue and tap or screw in. After glue has dried cut the dowel flush with a dremel tool or japanese cutting saw

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James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
(843) 325-4357
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-29-2023 20:02
From: Tim Foster
Subject: Cracked bridge

A customer of mine has a number of pianos, including one very old player piano that he likes to tinker with. He knows it's a better candidate for a sledge hammer than a tuning hammer, but he has fun with it. There is a nasty crack in the lower portion of the long bridge (see below). Any suggestions on a somewhat crude method to pull it back together? Filling with glue/epoxy and clamping? I'd appreciate your thoughts about methods and adhesives with the knowledge that this piano will never be close to a refined instrument.

 Thanks!

------------------------------
Tim Foster
New Oxford PA
(470) 231-6074
------------------------------

What James Kelly describes is a good repair for premium instruments. Do this repair if you want.

I would not try to close the crack. The soundboard below is also separating and will probably open the joint again as it spreads. 

There is only one pin on the speaking side that will be affected and on this piano it will not be of any consequence, therefore I would
fill the gap with epoxy. Tape off either side of the bridge to dam the flow of epoxy. Fill the crack, let it harden and re-notch the bridge
at the notches effected by epoxy. I also see another couple of cracks the use filling. For the big crack, use medium viscosity epoxy 
and use low viscosity epoxy for the smaller cracks in other places to prevent the same problem from happening there. 

Good luck. 

Dave Conte

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Dave Conte, RPT

Resident Technician
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville TN
(817) 307-5656
Owner: Rocky Top Piano
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-29-2023 20:02
From: Tim Foster
Subject: Cracked bridge

A customer of mine has a number of pianos, including one very old player piano that he likes to tinker with. He knows it's a better candidate for a sledge hammer than a tuning hammer, but he has fun with it. There is a nasty crack in the lower portion of the long bridge (see below). Any suggestions on a somewhat crude method to pull it back together? Filling with glue/epoxy and clamping? I'd appreciate your thoughts about methods and adhesives with the knowledge that this piano will never be close to a refined instrument.

 Thanks!

------------------------------
Tim Foster
New Oxford PA
(470) 231-6074
------------------------------

Thank you very much, James and Dave!

------------------------------
Tim Foster
New Oxford PA
(470) 231-6074
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-29-2023 20:02
From: Tim Foster
Subject: Cracked bridge

A customer of mine has a number of pianos, including one very old player piano that he likes to tinker with. He knows it's a better candidate for a sledge hammer than a tuning hammer, but he has fun with it. There is a nasty crack in the lower portion of the long bridge (see below). Any suggestions on a somewhat crude method to pull it back together? Filling with glue/epoxy and clamping? I'd appreciate your thoughts about methods and adhesives with the knowledge that this piano will never be close to a refined instrument.

 Thanks!

------------------------------
Tim Foster
New Oxford PA
(470) 231-6074
------------------------------