New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-06
MAKING PLATES FOR PIANOS
HOW PIG IRON ~ TRANSFORMED IN A
FOUNDRY.
THE MOULD AND THE OAsTING-FINDsHlNe
ToUCuEs-soME GIIMPsEs m THE
w lRKSHOP


also curious about their mechanism and VIII open o"c
Id a, the small boy opened his pet dogs month"; a.
wide as possible 10 see its vnrhs. oho Vi 'i'
questions with which such people ply the perlouio
tuner or their mu,S dealer, or the piano ~acne'' w
certainly relate 10 The iron frame on which the INC
taic chords arc strung TO vibrae the h'eio''o VI
Mcndcssohn or Chopin. The Pianoframe Is d. ~"
por,an to the piano as the keel tmberN are 10 sp
strength balance soundness, hnish' hgh'heNS' mus
al be present in it. and it Is obvious ta' P''
cannot be a good without good pl''e'
There is an extensive plant in Conncc'c"' ue
voted o. pecally 10 the manufacture OF piano pi' al"
brackets for holding the action. The amount OF Ge'Hi
in ,,iano manufacture has indeed caused such SUI
division in the processes OF manufacture tha' t"ec
only one large piano firm in the country "hi'n ''e
its own plates. There i. besides the oonc>u' "0
uand a siderable export trade for plates II "V'
po, he added that the tariff has encouraged this III
dn,try materially a. il does all manufactures OF IRON
This piano plate factory in Connecticut j. si'"''ou
at the waters edge an inlet OF the LONE iN'''"
sound and If one approaches from that dfe''ol ''e
visitor viii Immediately observe the prime rcI"9"''
of the bu,iRc,>-cOkc and iron being unloducd from
foam rh,or a vessel that also transports the plateN
to tl, civ The best quality Of IRON of different hhue
combined enters into the plate, the lew uon"S VI
ex,ro cost for the best material not being worth con
sidcrng in a work demanding the highest pcIlcc''o"
About fifteen tons of iron melted each day Ill inc
furnace Near to the furnace is Il small bululHS III
vh;,b the BEGINNINGS Of the plate are to be seen IN
many valuable wooden models, carefully cut TO suiu
the requirements of different ma"c> OF pahOS' lheac
wooden model, used 70 secure a casting lor 'i'c
iron pattern and the latter when perfected is used
10 make ell the Impressions in the mouldS for plates I'll
that FORM Thi, particular IrIi has made an innova
ton by preparing the wooden models themselves 80
that makers have only TO send their drawings ana
spechcations in order receive plates to suit them
DINGY BOXES FILLED WITH SAND
On entering the foundry one long rows Of dngy
boxes on the floor each being about eight feet square
and filed with sand which has become the color
OF coal dust by use. There 100 men employed
at the works counting the day ard night force IL
is in the morning that the def preparation oil
the moulds The sand is moistcned and troddcn TO 'e
proper consistency carefully ,mootlcd and then the
iron pattern is pressed into the yielding bed
The impression secured is stll further perfected
by an expert workman who touches up rough pof
tons with delicate tools. using all the care and shi
Of a sculptor or mOdelcr in clay. lie molstens Ms
tools with his breath and keeps patiently smoothing
and patting sand until his critical eve Is saShcd
The mould being declared perfect. top and bottom
known as the "knOwl7 and the cope are Jolieu'
accurately secured by corner pins, and halidozch
aperatnres left in the sand in which TO pour the
melted iron light sprinkling of powdered graphite
or black lead Is used a coating 10 the mould 10
make the sand separate easily from the casting
The afternoon brings weird scene when the
moulds being all closed and ready the duSky 1onhdE
is enlivcned by gangs OF men hurrNlhs "'h Po'S "a
moltcd iron from where it runs in fiery stream
from the furnace rcor to the long rows OF waiting
moulds. Each gang of six men takes SIX mouths 10
fill 4 foreman directs the movements ana an
begin to pour and all stop at the word OF command.
Meanwhile from the aperatures III the monid les VI
Gas spring into the and thes" lighted win "hl'e
hot rod by a Young son Of Vulcan, add to the iiN-
cuatinC lights and gloOuls of the interior Inc cast
ing remains in the sand about five hours, beng
Weighted To prevent warpng or stralnlng
Night brings another force of men, VINO open lhe
moulds and put the plates in connecting room u
cool From here they taken In hand by men
who carefully chip off, file sandpapcr and brush away
ALI ineouales and pass the plates on to the drers.
LIKE AN UNRULY COW DOING RENAME
. miami nlato contains several hundred holes, and
these must be bored with eXaetneSS to hoiu inc
timing pins wire pegs, framing pins, ETC. a pattern
is clamped to the frame and the centre Tor cac holc
stamped through the pattern on the plate Inc Iater
is now started journey across the ROOM anu oc
ve of hole is drilled in it at each table where II
stops The plate rests on a revolving 'aoie anu
this on a platform that slides or rolls either way ell
.hunr the operator to bring the exact
snot under the drill The latter IS Drought
down by cord affixed to the bootheel OF the op
orator who looks as If he were being served ike an
unruly COW doing pcnance for jumping Inc oiliS
are energetic little machines and eat through 'ho Gao"
ing in a few seconds. ,, H..
rha ,la,es are now divided Those intended 1oi
the New York CITY trade the West go out at one
door and direct to the city salcsrooms 10 De hni'
The ones for the region north and east OF 'e i'l'
are finished at the factory. The hr'' p'o'os9 -
,ananninc liberal coating Of the sticky huu DELHI
applied. when the pies al" Tcrcr Fahenhct 10 give
81 lard dry surface desired. Pumlce stone PERI,
his process and the plates are more OF les eiuv
nv decorated by hand with delicate racery IN
coors Just before shipping boy hali'crS -, ~ o os
small pins which the ends OIL "'c "i'' "''
The contrast Of the pigTon IN the yard ia anu ms 'I
smooth artistic haTP Se o p'e The designs are them
Selves handsome, the cured arms ana dnv ta secure
sireneth. ehtncss and resonance have hy some nc
correspondence Of law also deDe dcppeon u''s
Tbe plates weigh on average about 200 pounds
each yet strain Of the piano wcS wieh % drn
nm IN into many thousands OF POUNDS. me nIh
sends lis castings occasionally 10 the stevens institute
tested and , while ., G GS9 io 70 900 pounds pei
.ouare inch the metal Of the plates has teIea up u
1000 and 5000 pounds cr t MMie firms T1'" skilled
eaurest and practical m9nldcT G u1uo wa az
into the melting POI. just enough TO give the name
A sound weldeSgncd iron frame Sucn as aeSOnlo o3
neets The wants almost all manufacturers al present.
CHANGES MADE BY UPRIGHT PIANOS.
NIB chickering's were the first 10 develop the ides
~ whole cast plates, but until the last thirty years
they were not used greatly, thinner wire ana lcs
severe strain in stringins were used IN the ou uh'
panos Especially since the upright piano has be
come nopular in recent years the making OF who'll
plates has grown greatly in importance. sk'Ilc'
.,udcnts have worked the problems OF resonance
RESISTANCE the composition OF The iron, etc unti th
business has become of Itself, whereas II used u
he a side issue in fOundrics devoted primarily u
other casting. ~ , A., , ,,.. 90.
The other metal fittings OF the PIANO, brackets, enc
are cast nickel plated and polished IN small extension
buding about four acres the street frontage benz
A., feet while every operation l. conducted on IN
cronnd floor. The foundry was erected FOR TIN
ecIal purpose and the furnace being placed outsid
the main building gives co9i room ior c Gi
,he MIG iron starts end and comes out hnlShe
iatc ~ the other and there Is no waste OF time AM
tn%or in moving or hosting. The operators work b.
Contract or piece. each man taking the plate from tn
ystcn, that looks the perfection OF economical pro
duction The number OF firms to which the plate
So is snrprisinC Cast the plates are not only tll
names Of well known New York piano makers, bl
n,annfactIlrers in Canada, the far West, Europe o
Australia.