new one reply

[Danny Moore]

Er, James, just how big would you say these bugs are?

Danny Moore

pianoman wrote:

> Actually there is too much wood missing to use wood restorer.  Needed is
> complete filler blocks replaced and what ever else they call those supports
> back there.
> It really gives you a creepy feeling and makes you hope you are not
> carrying any of those bugs home.
> James Grebe
> R.P.T. from St. Louis
> pianoman@inlink.com
> "I am only as good as my last tuning"
>
> ----------
> > From: Lance Lafargue <lafargue@iAmerica.net>
> > To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > Subject: Re: new one
> > Date: Friday, December 19, 1997 7:23 AM
> >
> > James,
> > You're only as good as your last estimate, and it sounds like it was a
> good
> > one.  Man!  Sounds scary.  I wouldn't think that piano wood (HA!) hold a
> > tuning for long.  I wood be curious who tuned it last and if it is likely
> > that they tuned it to 440, or the low pitch is due to their cutting
> corners
> > five years ago.  If the back is separated, it is likely the bugs. It
> sounds
> > like this wood be an excellent opportunity to experiment with that "Wood
> > Restorer" product.
> > Lance Lafargue, RPT
> > New Orleans Chapter
> > Covington, LA.
> > lafargue@iamerica.net
> >
> > ----------
> > > From: pianoman <pianoman@inlink.com>
> > > To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > > Subject: new one
> > > Date: Thursday, December 18, 1997 5:21 PM
> > >
> > > Today I ran across something I have never seen before.  This fellow
> > called
> > > me up for a tuning appointment for his Baldwin console.  It had been
> > about
> > > 5 years since last tuned and he said he thought he had a bug problem as
> > > something had eaten through the protective felt covering over the
> > pinblock.
> > > When I got there this morning and opened the lid, WOW.  There was one
> > place
> > > about 4 inches in diameter eaten through down into the wood in back of
> > the
> > > pinblock and directly above that into the bottom surface of the lid.  I
> > > told him that the felt covering should be removed so we could see the
> > > extent of the damage.  He tore it off and all along the top were gaping
> > > holes and the space between the back post ends were hollow from being
> > eaten
> > > away.  In addition, I guess because the filler block had been eaten
> away
> > > the pinblock was separated from the back about 1/8" or so .  The
> dampers
> > > were not raising from the strings properly and the pitch was over -120c
> > > flat in the middle and worse towards the treble end.  I told him that
> the
> > > normal fix was to pull the front to the back with clamps and put in lag
> > > screws gluing everything back together but the problem was that there
> is
> > > nothing to glue the pinblock back to.  Strangely enough there was no
> > other
> > > damage over the rest of the piano inside or out.  I don't know enough
> > about
> > > termites but it would seem that they would be damaging something else
> > close
> > > by.  He said the piano had been in the same place for over 10 years.  I
> > > advised that he call an exterminator to check out the damage and to see
> > if
> > > he could recognize the perpetrator.  The eaten away part was a drab
> gray
> > > flaky color.  I advised also to check with his insurance to see if he
> had
> > > any coverage due to insect damage and wrote on his receipt that I
> thought
> > > the piano was a total loss and see if that would get him anywhere.
> > > Remember this is not in the tropics where this may be common, it is the
> > St.
> > > Louis suburbs not far from where I live.
> > >     Do you think I gave the right advice?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > James Grebe
> > > R.P.T. from St. Louis
> > > pianoman@inlink.com
> > > "I am only as good as my last tuning"