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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1977-04-14, Page 16W PAGE 16—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1977 " Pianos will stall need the persona Local factory defies automation In this age of automation, one industry has not been swept into the trend. "A piano requires precision that only a human can achieve," ex- plains Joe Reid of the Sherlock - Manning Piano Company in Clinton. The Piano Factory contains a few planes and several presses, but the success of the manufacturing depends on the 36 employees. Because of Noe individual attention each instrument receives, no two pianos are exactly the same. First, the rough lumber enters the mill shop on the ground floor of the factory. Basswood is used primarily, with an exterior finish of walnut veneer. Each piece is cut, planed and veneered in the mill shop, which resembles an ordindry woodworking plant. The unique features of the piano factory are found upstairs. From the mill shop, the 'wood is taken up to the "belly" room, so named because this is where each piece for the back and the sounding - board is slightly curved to enhance the instrument's tone. Several thin layers of wood are glued together, alternately, to make a strong back, which contains six posts. The back is then placed in a large press. Each gluing procedure takes -one hour to harden, and ultimately the glue becomes. as strong as the wood. After being removed from the press, the back is trimmed to make all four sides smooth. The sounding -boards, made of B.C. spruce, are constructed by a specialized manufacturer in British Columbia. At the Clinton Factory, each sounding -board is "crowned" or curved slightly by wooden ribs glued diagonally on its back. On the front of the board are glued the long treble bridge and the short bass bridge. Next, the back and the sounding - board are glued together and d're fitted onto a cast-iron plate. The plate is one of many parts that must be imported from the United States. A foundry in Hespeler was the Clinton factory's original supplier, but the inability to compete with its southern rivals forced its closure several years ago. After being measured, the iron frame is removed from the back, and each are marked with a corresponding number. Then the back is modified to fit the plate exactly. The bridge on the sounding - board is marked -with pinholes, that Two of the piano factory's stringers, Pat and Ian Hill of Summerhill, put the different thickness of strings on the piano. (photo by Elaine Townshend) Beverly Hutton of Brucefield glues an edge on a bench topin the mill shop. (photo by Elaine Townshend) are later bored on an angle. Notches are made, and copper pins are driven in. Finally the plate is refitted. Bushings are hammered in, and holes are bored about two inches deep for the finely -threaded tuning pins, that come from Germany. Next the plate, ,sounding -board and back move onto the stringers. Seventeen thicknesses of wire are used; every third or fourth n'ete requires one -thousandth of an inch thicker wire. The bass s. ngs are made of copper-woun•"' ire pur- chased in Toronto. The highest treble note comes from the finest, shortest wire, while the lowest bass note is made by the longest, thickest string. When the wires are secured, the instrument is moved into the "piano" or "assembly" room, where the strings are tightened gradually over a three-week period to a pressure of 18 tons. An elec- tronic tuner ensures an even tension on all the strings. This phase is known as "chipping." Meanwhile, in the "finishing" room, each piece of the piano cabinet is painted with a thick black paste, that fills the pores of the wood and darkens its colour. The excess paste is removed with a rag. In the first of two "spray booths," the wood is sprayed with a sealer, which adds another dark shade. Then the sealer is sanded; the dust from' the sanding dissolves into the lacquer which is sprayed in the second "spray booth." The result is a smooth, shiny surface and a rich, dark colour. When the "chipping" and the "finishing" are complete, the sides, bottoms, pedals and castors are glued to the back, sounding -board and cast-iron plate in a giant press, and for the first time, the product looks like a piano. The most technical task involves setting the action; seven different adjustments are necessary. Each hammer is fitted individually to be certain it strikes only one note. To avoid hitting the wire too forcefully, the hammer must be tripped before it touches the strings. In a small room at the end of the assembly area, the piano tuner completes the instrument's tuning by ear. Finally, in the "fly finish" room, all the parts come together. The top and the cover are glued on, and the cabinet is cleaned ready for shipping or storing. In Clinton, the Piano factory manufactures ten different models including one named . after Huron County. They are sold to retailers across . Canada ' from • Vancouver, B.C. to St. John's, Newfoundland. One of the best outlets is located in Windsor, Ontario, and the closest is in Wingham. The retail price of a Sherlock -Manning piano ranges from $1,500 to $1,800:- Each 1,800:Each piano carries a ten-year guarantee on the manufactured parts. With reasonable care, the instrument should hold its quality of tone for 50 years. Tuning, once or twice yearly, is recommended. Since the Sherlock -Manning Company began operating in Clinton in 1936, few changes have occurred in the methods of manufacture for ithe precision built into each piano still defies automation. story, and photos by Elaine Townshend touch Pictured above is one of the ten models manufactured in Clinton. Called the Huron Piano, it is aptly named after its home county. (photo by Elaine Townshend) The first tuning a piano receives is called "chipping". In the piano or assembly room, Sharon Forrest of Clinton uses an eiectronic tuner tor precision adjusting. (photo by r Laine 'I'o« nshend) 1' 4 dit A good name to grow by EEUSN or Your Fertilizer Needs This Spring At Agrico W, we have the latest equipment for applying: * ANHYDROUS AMMONIA We have Tool Bar Applicators available, from 15 to 27 feet. Tool Bar Applicators are faster and more efficient than conventional equipment. Ask us for further details. *AGRIco GRANULAR UREA With 46 percent Nitrogen, is available for dry application. We also have the required Starter Fertilizers to suit your needs. Let our staff, facilities, and resources work for you to help maximize profits. FOR PROMPT, EFFICIENT SERVICE, CALL TODAY MCP M �Jf `I '��1 �'. . \.4 "�i • ti t A good name .to grow by AG TURAL CHEMICALS LIMITED Brucefield Phone 482-3948 p Dorothy Govler is one of the "ashen se tete' .at The Meriotki tt •