action centers/Emralon

[Fred Sturm]

Lance,
	Give a call or email to Steinway tech support. I'm sure they'll be happy 
to fill you in. Kent Webb is the head (I think kwebb@steinway.com) with one 
or maybe two assissants.
	I don't believe any other manufacturer uses such a bushing treatment. My 
impression from asking lots of questions of a variety of Steinway reps is 
that they actually use a proprietary formulation that is "similar to 
emralon."
	Bottom line, any Steinway action parts (made by New York Steinway, not to 
be confused with those made by Renner, which did appear in NY Steinways for 
a short period of years as they were re-tooling th action department) will 
not respond to standard lubrication (Protek or the like) or shrinking 
procedures. A tiny - emphasize tiny - drop of pure methanol can be used to 
partly dissolve and re-size the emralon-like stuff saturating the felt. Too 
much, and you wash it out and need to do massive re-pinning.
	Hope this helps.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico

--On Wednesday, March 24, 2004 8:11 AM -0600 llafargue 
<llafargue@charter.net> wrote:

>
>
> In the winter 2004 issue of "The Steinway Technician" from Steinway, they
> mention that Emralon is used in their action centers now.
>
> Does anyone know how long they have used it in centers?
>
> Can anyone tell me how common the use of Emralon is in action center
> bushing cloth and who uses it in their centers today?  I ask because I
> use Methanol and grain alcohol to ease bushings and knowing ahead would
> allow me to know more accurately how to apply, (% Water, heat) etc.
>
>
>
> Lance Lafargue, RPT
>
> LAFARGUE PIANOS
>
> New Orleans Chapter, PTG
>
> 985.72P.IANO
>
> llafargue@charter.net
>
>