Steinway Drinking

[JIMRPT@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 3/28/2000 7:29:00 AM, you wrote:

<<So far it looks like nobody knows what mineral spirits will do to a
Steinway pinblock or action.

Any guesses out there?>>

Well Roger since "guesses" are acceptable :-)
 The mineral spirits make a lubricating/sizing  action take place in the 
action centers..,as you have discovered and reported and will eventually, 
many years down the road, possibly lead to the formation of verdigris in 
those affected parts. (this based on experience following a tech who years 
ago thought mineral spirits was a magic elixir and used it very copiously on 
'everything'...most of what he treated has developed some degree of 
verdigris...even in those instruments where it is not commonly found.) Other 
than these two thingees and some 'staining' I would not "guess" the mineral 
spirits to be a problem but I haven't seen the 'damage' :-)
 The pin block is a very different matter though. I would "guess" that 
initially the pins in the affected area would be less tight 'feeling' than 
normal. After the mineral spirits has dried sufficiently I would "guess" that 
some degradation of torque values would be apparent and as the block dries 
out as much as it ever will I would expect the affected pins to develop a 
snapping/jerky feel...but that is just a guess based on SWAG rather than 
experience.
Jim Bryant (FL)