Canadian Forestry Magazine, October. ip2o. 



453 



have seen how the "rim" itself is built 

 up and finished off. After the sound- 

 ing board pin-blocks and bridge have 

 been glued on to the rim, the next oper- 

 ation is the attachment of the plate. The 

 plate is secured down by means of bolts 

 anc set screws and consists of a strongly 

 ribbed and carefully designed casting 

 made of special iron alloy. The plate 

 has to perform the important function 

 cf carrying along its lower end the pins 

 upon which the strings are strung and 

 of bracing at its upper end the pin-block 

 into which the tuning pins are driven. 

 The plate is called upon to stand a tre- 

 mendously heavy strain amounting in 

 the aggregate to several tons but as be- 

 fore mentioned the back or rim assists 

 to a certain degree in bearing this great 

 strain. As we are chiefly concerned 

 with the wood-using end of the industry 

 it will not be necessary to enter into a 

 detailed description of the design and 

 construction of the iron plate. 

 The Strings. 



These are essentially the sound pro- 

 ducing mechanism yet were the greatest 

 of care and skill not used in the selection, 

 seasoning and putting together of the 

 various woods that are used the strings 

 would not produce that singing quality 

 for which these pianos are noted. A 

 highly-specialized grade of wire is used 

 anrl the operation of "stringing" a com- 

 pleted "rim" calls for a high degree of 

 skill and workmanship. 



The Piano Action. 



In these days of standardization and 

 specialization the majority of piano 

 manufactut^rs tind it more ])rolitable 

 and satisfactory to import the "piano 

 actions" they use whicli are made to 

 tht.'ir requiremcnls and specifications ])y 

 companies who specialize entirely in con- 

 si nictinff same. Wood is used largely in 

 the manufacture of the "piano action." 

 5-nch as in the hauinu-rs and ihc ke\s 

 tliemselves and the principal species in 

 general use lor this purpose are maple, 

 ba.'-swood, ash, cherry and cedar. As 

 lightness is very essential consistent with 

 strength, the wood is so cut that ihe 

 grain shall, in each menihcr. Vw in the 

 diu'ction wln'ch is most suit;ihK- to tlie 

 strain which that particidar \nc(\' nuist 

 enchu'e. 



The Keyboard. 



In the early stages of their manufac- 

 ture keyboards are formed in one piece 

 consisting of a board of white pine which 

 in turn is composed of several widths 

 glued together with the grain so ar- 

 ranged that it shall run approxiraatelv in 

 the direction of the finished keys. The 

 board as first glued up, dressed and 

 finished to size is about one inch thick 

 by two feet wide by six feet long. Along 

 one of the long edges is glued a thin 

 strip of ivory. The board is then spaced 

 off into the proper number of kevs and 

 af<-er the keys are accurately lined upon 

 the board they are sawn out by a band 

 or fret saw and the ebony keys are glued 

 down on the proper members. 



Making the Case. 



The body of the piano case is of ash 

 to which the thin strips of mahoganv 

 and walnut are glued. Four strips of 

 veneer are used in each finished section 

 of the case to one layer being glued on 

 with the grain running opposite to the 

 next. Cut No. 2 shows the powerful 

 presses that are used in the glueing oper- 

 ation. From the veneered pieces the 

 case is built up and the already completed 

 back action and key-board are fitted. 

 Next comes the polishing operatior^ 

 \vhich is a slow and costly one. The out- 

 siile portions of the case such as the 

 doors, the sides, the cover, etc., are given 

 seven (Hstinct coats of vaniish. A^coat 

 of varnish is first put on with a brush. 

 The brush marks are then rubbed off 

 with, pumice-stone, the pumice-stone 

 marks are removed by rotten stone and 

 nn.dly the rotten stone marks bv hand, 

 there being no polishing agent equal to 

 tlie human skin. These steps are suc- 

 cessively carried out for each of the 

 se^en coats after which the case presents 

 th( (Icsired grain and lustre. 



I lie pi.mo is then verv thoroughly 

 inspected, such details as regulating for 

 i"nch. tnin'ng and tone having liecn 

 previously looked after. The I'or- 

 estry .Magazine is indebted to the IVe- 

 sident ot" the .Martin-Ornie Piano Co.. 

 ;if ("Ottawa, t'or assistance in gathering 

 >i";^nn;itioii \,^r this article and"f(M- cmr- 

 tesies shown (hiring visits to the cnm- 

 I^any's factories. 



