Subject: Re: Travelling Papers Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 23:10:48 -0500 From: "Newton J. Hunt" <nhunt@jagat.com> To: pianotech@ptg.org Dear List, Gooey tapes fall into two categories, those that have a _self sticking_ glue and those that have a _licking required_ glue. The _gum_ type tape, self sticking, have a glue that never or almost never dry out. I had used auto pen stripping tape to travel flanges but over time I found that the non-hardening gum glue squeezes out and undoes much of the work I had done. With the brown _lick and stick_ type tape the glue sets into a solid, unyielding glue not unlike hide glue. THis material will only change it's thickness when re-wetted, a rare circumstance in pianos. This is a more permanent and stable procedure. Brown paper "lick & stick" packaging tape is available at office supply stores. There is a type that has nylon threads running through for strength but this is not suitable for travel tape. A small investment will last for years and years. Take a piece of wood large enough to drill a 1" or 1 1/4" hole down the end grain of the block. Split the block with a chisel and set aside. Take a piece of 3/8" dowel and stick the end on the dowel, wind enough tape onto the dowel to match the diameter of the hole in the block. Seal the end of the tape with a piece of plastic type and leave a lift flap for later use. Put this into the block and glue the block back together. When it is dry take it to the band saw and cut slices off the block the width of the tape desired. Simple, effective and several months supply. It is so disheartening to go back to a job done just a few years earlier and find the hammers missing the strings only to find out that all the time spend traveling the shanks is undone by the glue squeezing out the sides of the tape.
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