Steinway Drinking

[Greg Newell]

I thought that mineral spirits was another name for paint thinner.
Greg Newell

Roger Jolly wrote:

> Hi Jim,
>            Is mineral spirits, almost pure methanol?  If so it can soften a
> hammer down quite radically.
> Roger.J
>
> At 08:08 AM 28/03/00 -0500, you wrote:
> >
> >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)
> >
> Roger Jolly
> Saskatoon, Canada.
> 306-665-0213
> Fax 652-0505