[CAUT] Critter-damaged punchings

[Joe And Penny Goss]

Freezer would be easier <g>
Joe Goss RPT
Mother Goose Tools
imatunr at srvinet.com
www.mothergoosetools.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Annie Grieshop" <annie at allthingspiano.com>
To: "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Critter-damaged punchings


> Israel,
>
> Put the new punchings in a cloth or mesh bag, toss the bag in a
> clothesdryer, and let it tumble for 15-20 minutes.  That will certainly
kill
> any larvae and probably do in the eggs, as well, without any chemicals at
> all.  Heat would guarantee the eggs are killed (and it shouldn't harm the
> punchings -- try it with a few to find out), but even cold-air tumbling
will
> probably do a thorough job on them.
>
> The bag does need to get thrown around inside the dryer, so you might have
> to add tennis balls or tennis shoes (the same procedure as fluffing a down
> comforter).
>
> >From your description, my guess is the damage was done before the pianos
> left the factory and is not an ongoing problem.  But better to have some
> extra insurance.
>
> Annie Grieshop
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org]On Behalf Of
> > Israel Stein
> > Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 9:39 AM
> > To: caut at ptg.org
> > Subject: [CAUT] Critter-damaged punchings
> >
> >
> > At 11:01 AM 5/11/2007, James Ellis wrote:
> > >Whenever I would find moth-critter damage to punchings, I would strip
the
> > >keybed clean - puncings, key cloth, and all, clean the whole piano
> > >thoroughly, looking for any evidence of moth eggs.  If I found them,
the
> > >job would become more extensive.  After that, there would usually be no
> > >problem, provided the piano was cleaned once in a while.
> > >
> > >Tuners Supply Company used to have a moth proofing liquid called
X-Hale.
> > >Fumes from that stuff were so strong they would make your eyes
> > burn.  There
> > >was no water in it.  One would soak the insides of the piano
> > with it, close
> > >it up, and cover it for 24 hours.  No live critters or eggs would be
left
> > >after that, and the funes would soon dissipate after opening the
> > piano back
> > >up.
> > >
> > >That was 60 years ago.  I don't have that problem now.  Israel,
> > do you find
> > >the damage in several pianos?  If so, there is a common source of these
> > >critters, and perhaps you should get the pest control people involved.
> > >Clean the pianos out, and replace anything that shows any sign of
critter
> > >gnawing.  You don't want to leave any critter eggs in there.
> > >
> > >Good Luck,  Jim Ellis
> >
> >
> > Jim,
> >
> > Thanks for the information. We found the problem in several pianos -
> > but only in Asian ones: Yamahas and the Korean Kohler & Campbells,
> > all about 10 years old. No problems with American pianos - and we do
> > have lots of much older Steinways, Baldwins, Wurlitzers and Everetts
> > at the school. So we suspect that the critters are imported with the
> > pianos from the source country and are not a local infestation. I
> > hear that this is common. Since there are no wool furnishings around
> > here - curtains, stuffed chairs, carpets, etc. - I don't see how
> > these critters would spread from piano to piano. Add I don't see
> > moths flying around. But then there is the theater department on the
> > other end of the building - costume shop, wardrobe, prop storage...
> > Hmm...  Maybe I should check with them about moth damage in their
stuff...
> >
> > Yamaha sent us a bunch of replacement punchings free - but I hesitate
> > to put them in pianos, since they might be the source of the
> > infestation... Maybe fumigating them with or dipping them in one of
> > the suggested substances before use might be a good idea?
> >
> > Israel Stein.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>