[CAUT] Self voicing hammers/work hardening

Avery Todd atodd@uh.edu
Tue, 24 May 2005 11:31:08 -0500


I even once used a small artists' brush to get a LITTLE more attack on a 
note or two                     the artist had asked me about while tuning 
for the recital. Easily filed away later "if"
it gets to be a little much down the line.

Avery

At 08:28 AM 5/24/2005, you wrote:
>Thanks, Susan, I'm always happy to be adding to the arsenal.
>
>Here's how I use keytop/acetone:  Take a metal tuning mute handle.  Dip it 
>in the mixture, come out with a small (and it's small!) drop, put it in 
>the offending string groove(s).  I feel like this is the ultimate 
>control--much less is applied than with an eye dropper and it's better 
>than a syringe, because you can actually see how much is being 
>used.  Because it's so fast, it's one of those tools that is always with 
>me on stage......
>
>Later!
>
>Barbara Richmond
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Susan Kline" <skline@peak.org>
>To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 12:07 AM
>Subject: Re: [CAUT] Self voicing hammers/work hardening
>
>
>>Hi, Barbara
>>
>>I got my shellac flakes from this place on the net -- I just checked that 
>>they are still there.
>>
>>http://www.woodfinishingsupplies.com/Shellac.htm
>>
>>They seem to carry Behlen products, which Ed suggested. They also have 
>>200 proof denatured alcohol, which has no methanol or water in it. 9% 
>>isopropyl, and a couple of other things in it. I've used bulk ethanol 
>>from the liquor store, 190 proof, and it works well. People have told me 
>>that some states don't allow 190 proof to be sold, though.
>>
>>I did try very dilute keytop/acetone on a few notes once, and I must 
>>admit that I heard that spicky clicky sound ever afterward, even after 
>>needling -- though I didn't go so far as to try to soak it out with 
>>acetone. It was after that experience, and after reading a hint from 
>>Horace saying that Steinway used to use shellac (they'd just use whatever 
>>their finishing department used) that I tried shellac and really like it. 
>>Nontoxic, as well, especially if made up with pure ethanol. Nice little 
>>lac bug -- friend of man.
>>
>>The color -- well, one doesn't want the hammers grossly stained, like 
>>they would be with some shellacs, but having just a little color in there 
>>(like the ultrablonde color) isn't totally bad. It lets one see exactly 
>>how far the solution is wicking. And, like Horace says, how they sound is 
>>what really matters.
>>
>>Regards,
>>Susan
>
>
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_______________________
Avery Todd, RPT
Moores School of Music
University of Houston
Houston, TX 77204-4017 



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