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

[Paul Chick]

Consider the center pin through the bird's eye is a press fit which cannot
be lubricated to free it.
Paul C

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Chris
Solliday
Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 2:40 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] VSProfelt vs alcohol/water/softener vs steam

Hey Jim,
I remember many many years ago Willis Snyder ringing the bell on silicone
for keybushings. The fear being that it would travel down the pins and the
pins would walk out. 
Chris

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Busby" <jim_busby at byu.edu>
To: <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:13 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] VSProfelt vs alcohol/water/softener vs steam


Chris,

Should we be concerned with this as far as "posting" the ingredients. I
mean, I've heard horror stories of silicon and tuning pins. Like maybe one
drop and the pin turns into a black hole or something...

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Chris
Solliday
Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:00 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] VSProfelt vs alcohol/water/softener vs steam

It's true, Bob M told me.
Chris Solliday
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Busby" <jim_busby at byu.edu>
To: <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 9:20 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