[CAUT] STEAM! STEAM! STEAM!!!

[Ed Sutton]

Fred-

Steam for resizing keybushings was mentioned on CAUT at least 10 years ago.
It is SUCH A GOOD TECHNIQUE that I can't understand why it is not common 
knowledge and practice.
It's easy.
You can use any kind of steamer. You can hold a damp cloth over the bushing 
and press a hot iron to it. You can dampen the bushing and shove a heated 
caul into the key.
It is probably the one repair any CAUT can do (no budget needed!) to add and 
maintain value in a practice piano. (Steam the bushings once a year and you 
may never need to replace them.)

If we are ever going to have a CAUT credential, it should require a steam 
test!!

(Notice I'm not even mentioning steam for restoring wippen cushions, 
chucking keys, hammers and dampers...)

Come on, everybody, don't be afraid, STEAM THOSE KEYBUSHINGS!!

Ed Sutton...gone a little crazy, I guess.




> The best way to learn this technique, and not be worried about the 
> result, is to try it next time you have a rebushing job. Just try it  on a 
> section of bushings, running the steam and following with the  iron. I 
> think you'll find that there isn't a lot to worry about.
> Regards,
> Fred Sturm
> University of New Mexico
> fssturm at unm.edu
>
>
>