----- Original Message ----- From: "Joseph Garrett" <joegarrett@earthlink.net> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: August 27, 2001 11:47 PM Subject: Re: David Love/Tight action centers > I will continue to > use Renner, even though I'm not an advocate of graphite. It works for them > and I'm not going to dispute one of the best action makers in the world. > Regards, > Joe ---------------------------------------------------- We also continue to use Renner parts, but I certainly do dispute their use of graphite on their action felt. While building the upright piano we spent--wasted--hundreds of hours repining action centers that froze up after an hour or two of hard use, trying to wash out as much graphite as possible in the process. We also spent--wasted--hundreds of hours pre-sorting action components by action center friction levels, repining the excessively loose ones and treating the excessively tight ones. We're still somewhat paranoid about Renner center-pinning consistency, although it does seem to now be somewhat better than it was in the early- to mid- 1990s. The use of graphite as a so-called 'lubricant' on action cloth was a bad idea when first conceived and one that has not improved over the years. If something must be used, why not brush on a bit of Teflon powder? It's much more effective as a lubricant and it is not hygroscopic. It does not have--or cause--any known adverse reactions with any known centerpin material or plating. It does not cause the action centers to freeze up during and following periods of hard play. In other words, if something must be used, why not use something that is not known to be detrimental to the function of the piano? The problems associated with the use of graphite in this application have been well known for decades. Regards, Del
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