Well, Craig, I don't know what to say.  My experience comes from expert
restorers of automobile engines who do work on cylinder blocks from
cars worth literally a million plus dollars.  Stutz, Deusenbergs,
antique race cars, etc.

They don't have the luxury of saying, "If it cracks, bring it back".
One screw up, and they are dropped by their insurance company, and out
of business.  If welding with iron rod and de-stressing with a furnace
were remotely questionable, they wouldn't do it.

I had an antique motor done by them, and asked them a number of
questions and looked at their facility.  The job they did was nothing
short of astounding.  I couldn't tell where the block had been cracked
without close examination.  Piano harps go through a lot fewer and
milder temperature excursions than an engine block, and your job may be
adequate.  I don't know.

Larry Mayo


 [ Editor's comment:
 [
 [ A piano plate resembles a bridge truss much more than an engine
 [ block, both in construction and subjected forces.  I simply can't
 [ believe that one repair technique applies equally well to every cast
 [ product.  I would have much more confidence in the engine block
 [ welder if he repaired an equal number of piano plates every year!
 [
 [ If the repair fails the piano rebuilder is liable for the total cost 
 [ of fixing the piano _again_ , and that's several thousand dollars.
 [ I believe his insurance company would prefer that he use the services
 [ of a repair shop with a long history of successfully fixing broken 
 [ piano plates -- just as the auto restoration shops use the services
 [ of the successful engine block welder whom you describe.
 [
 [ -- Robbie