Hi Clark, I'll bet he didn't do it that way again though. The addition of silicone to the wood, especially prior to the finishing, could still have some negative consequences over time. I think using the fish-eye remover at all, even adding it to your spraying lacquer, changes the composition of the lacquer and has a negative effect on the adhesion of the final product. I discovered another method of sealing off those pesky fish eyes. If they appear, stop the build up right away, sand the finish back down flat and then spray a few mist coats of lacquer over the piece. By mist spraying, i.e., holding the gun far enough away so the lacquer dries immediately upon contact, the new dry lacquer layer forms a barrier, sealing off the gushing silicone "fish eyes"...a neat trick for any of you who refinish. After several mist coats you can proceed with the finish build-up, with no further worry about fish-eyes. This works so well that we don't even have fish eye remover in our refinishing shop...haven't used it for eight years now. A little side story there I guess. I don't think there's any practical application to Keith's problem.....? Several mist coats of lacquer on all the action parts Keith? Oh... be sure to tape off all the felt, cloth and leather. :) David Sanderson Littleton, MA Pianobiz@aol.com In a message dated 96-11-16 23:49:01 EST, Clark Foerster writes: I have a fellow piano technician friend who recently mixed up a batch of the wurlitzer/baldwin silicone oil with vmp naptha. A couple days after this he discovered, to his horror, that his assistant had "washed" down an entire stripped piano with this solution in preparation for refinishing. He told me he washed the case again with pure naptha, shot the lacquer with fish-eye eliminator, and was surprised to find that the finish turned out great. He is convinced that the huge scare about silicone and pianos is completely overblown. Clark Foerster RPT
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