River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-02-03
How Planes Are Made.

FROM the baltlmofe sun.
1t takes nearly four years to make
one instrument three years and some
months to season the wood. and three
months to form theparts. No less than
sixteen different kinds of wood enter
into the formation, embracing the soft
est, toughest, hardest heaviest, light
est and most compact grain. In the
action alone, there are eleven diff
ferent kinds of wood The piano, more
ever, is cosmopolitan, from the fact
that the vegetable, animal and mineral
kingdoms of the world contribute to
its composition. While spruce pine
from Northern New York, maple from
West Massachusetts, pine and ash
from Michigan, cherry from Pennsyl.
vania, walnut from Indiana, and poplar
from West Virginia, after passing
through choppers, sawyers, raftmen
and inspe etors, as well as buckskin of
four kinds, first from the wild deer
and then from the manufac.
turers, are necessary, this country
does not furnish all the mate.
rial required, Six kinds of felt, four
kinds of cloth, four kinds OF metal be.
sides silver for the plate, silver gilded
strings, cast iron, many kinds of paper,
as also ivory, ebony and varnIsh are all
imported from other countries. In an
ordinary piano there are 500 screws,
40 strings, 81 keys, and $40 key and
tuning pms. In seven octave square
about 80 square feet of veneering is
used, and in the " action" alone there
are no less than 5,072 pieces. From tn,
foregoing, some conception of the re-
quisites of square, upright, or grand
piano may be formed.
First in the manufacture OF piano
comes the seasoning of the wood, whicl
is done by two years exposure. Mex
1t is subjected TO several months stor
age IN an open building, each piece be
ing separated TO get an air drying, anC
] then quarantine of several months in
1 building heated with steam, followed
by ten stages of hot air drying during
\ the process of manufactures Each
manipulation of the wood and each coat
of varnish is followed 10y a drying pro-
cess, and in the case of the outside rose
wood pieces a regular roastiug. The
heavier pieces of wood being worked
by machinery. they, together with the
legs, are carved by the hands of skill
full artists in the required shape, anC
the sounding and other boards shaved
the requisite thlnness by planning
machine. Then comes the glueing
/ bending and veneering, each followed
by the drying all of which is accom-
! Il 4,
crate detail. Next in OF Ter are til,
cases and tops, which are vanished
| five times, each coat being entirely
scraped off and another put on until
the grain of the wood appears, wher
/ they receive several more coats of pol
ish varnish, are again scrapcd aud then
rubbed down with pummice stone
again vanished, again rubbed, and
| then polished by hand. The iron
frames, after being iapanned receiv,
several coats of paint, and are then
rubbed down and bronzed, after which
they are ornamentcd in shaded gilt
The ivory, like verything else, is sub
nitted to the drying process, to prevent
Wrapping. Next in order is placing the
sounding board, fitting the string,
and keyboard, and making the "move
ment. The movement" which in
cludes the pedal arrangement, ham
mers, hampers aud innumeTable othe
contrivances, which differ in the varlou
kinds OF instruments, is So complicate,
and elaborate in its construction as {,
defy description. As it is well known
each key struck going certain dis
lance, which differs in each key, raises
a grooved arrangement connecting witt
the hammer of that key, which, as tn,
groovcd connection slips out, hits th,
wire and flies back 80 the first position
Each hammer flies different distance
and is further regulated 10y the fel
coverings. The pedal operates on th,
wires by strips of felt which pres
against them. The movement beinl
placed in position, the wires are STRUNG
and other finishing touches given
when, the instrument having beer
carefully regulated by tuning fork
the tone aud modulation is perfect an'
the Manufacture of the piano is com
pleted.