I tried to be a photographer, but I couldn’t focus
The week started off strong with professional photographer Michael Ewen coming out to photograph the Abandoned Steinway. We had a brief discussion about the goals for the project and for the shoot. Mike set up his gear and allowed me to peek over his shoulder so that we could nail the session on the first try. Since Mike has been a professional photographer for decades, his experience told him exactly how to approach the task and the results speak for themselves below.
Cawbon Fibaaa
Since this week was a short week due to Hurricane Helene, I only had one class. The focus was on the fundamentals of regulating a piano’s action. I’ll have more information posted soon, as that appears to be the next section of the course. One highlight I wanted to share was surrounding the action that is currently being regulated in the shop: a carbon fiber replacement for a Steinway Grand. These action parts are direct replacements for wooden components that have become worn out beyond regulation. As I learn more about how this works, I will of course share more but check out the photos below!
It’s a Poor Craftsman Who Blames His Tools
While bracing for the impact of Hurricane Helene I got a little impatient. I went into my workshop and designed a more formal version of a sound block for a tuning fork. This block transfers the energy from the tuning fork directly into the piano’s soundboard. It also has the added benefit of allowing the tuner to avoid holding the tuning fork, which causes the pitch to change because of temperature fluctuations. I routed the edges with a roman ogee bit and used a red oak dowel drilled out to hold the fork tightly in place, while allowing it to also be removed. Check out the video below:
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