[CAUT] VSProfelt vs alcohol/water/softener vs steam

[David Ilvedson]

Fred,

Are you talking to yourself again?   '-]

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Jim Busby" <jim_busby at byu.edu>
To: caut at ptg.org
Received: 3/12/2009 7:20:10 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] VSProfelt vs alcohol/water/softener vs steam


>Hi Fred,

>Silicon?? How do you know? I know that Yamaha uses some silicon (or at least used 
>to, according to LaRoy) in their flange bushing cloth. But isn't that for lubrication? 
>And if it indeed is silicon in the VS, wouldn't that be a death blow if someone used it 
>in the wrong place. i.e. anywhere near or closely connected to a tuning pin? If it is 
>true maybe a warning label is appropriate? 

>BTW, since you taught us the steaming method in addition to whatever, I've too 
>have found more stability than with any solution alone. 

>Regards,
>Fred

>-----Original Message-----
>From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Fred 
>Sturm
>Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 8:08 AM
>To: caut University Technicians
>Subject: [CAUT] VSProfelt vs alcohol/water/softener vs steam

>	I finally found the opportunity to do a comparison of VSProfelt with  
>an emulated mixture of alcohol, water, and fabric softener. I did  
>wippen cushions and key bushings on an upright. For the key bushings,  
>I also did a comparison with my usual steam method.
>	My emulated mixture was approximately 12% softener, 18% alcohol, and  
>70% water (the figures are a result of adding to a 5 mm line for  
>softener, 15 mm with 70% isolpropyl alcohol, and 40 with water - those  
>lines being cumulative. This was not utterly precise, just a  
>convenient guess, and then I did the calculations of percentage). I  
>think the VSProfelt is actually lower in alcohol and higher in  
>softener, and it also has silicon oil added in some formulation. VSP  
>is milkier looking than what I made, and it doesn't wick quite as fast  
>into the felt - hence my guess about more softener and less alcohol.
>	Results? A tie. VSP works quite nicely. So does a mix of alcohol,  
>water and softener. I couldn't tell any difference in the results  
>whatsoever, other than the lubricant in VSP.
>	The tie was between VSP and my emulation solution. Steam was  
>significantly faster, and slightly more effective - key bushings only  
>in this case. I think the more effective part came from the steam re- 
>expanding the wood where it might have been squeezed/eased previously.
>	For the bushings I had the keys in two Spurlock clamps. I applied the  
>liquids using a tapered, pointed paintbrush (in preference to a hypo  
>oiler, that takes longer because of the need to apply to each side  
>separately). I did one key clamp with liquids, the other with steam.  
>For the liquids, I alternated between sharps and naturals for the  
>different solutions, changing the alternation when I changed from  
>balance to front rail. The full steaming and ironing process took  
>considerably less time than applying the liquids and inserting the  
>cauls.
>	I'll send a separate post following with photos of the steam process.
>Regards,
>Fred Sturm
>University of New Mexico
>fssturm at unm.edu