Silicone: Newtons nightmare

[Newton Hunt]

Hi Dan,

I didn't want to name names but since you poked you head in I will take a shot
at it. :)

If you wax your car near your garage, the house windows are open, there is no
breeze silicon can be detected at the window opposite from the garage.  That
stuff TRAVELS!!!.  And therein lies it's liability.  It likes to spread itself
everywhere, one molecule thick, just like a baby can do with food and it's
tray.  If it is applied to the casters it WILL be in the pinblock in a matter of
days.  Enough and the piano will not hold.  It will also get between the bearing
points and the strings and cause tuning instability.  It will get between the
key and the plastic and the keytop will come off.

How do I know this?  A well known manufacturer used silicon to lubricate the
actions of about 100 pianos.  Eventually they replace every piano so treated
because they just would not stay in tune.  A very, very expensive lesson. 
Silicone then I have been yelling about the stuff.  There are so MANY good
alternatives out there why use such garbage.  

Benzene is a great cleaner but I will not use it to clean with because it causes
liver damage, within weeks of use.  Something things are dangerous to use
something are stupid to use.  Pick your poison.

Loved to Martha.

		Newton

thepianoarts wrote:
> 
> Hi Newton,
> 
> My guess is, (outside of the fish eye finish problem) that  your adversity
> to using silicone in treating tight bushings etc., is related primairly to
> the possibality of it getting into the pinblock...yes? If so, the hammer
> flanges in a Baldwin Acrosonic are a long way from the pinblock. What are
> your thoughts? (Like I have to ask!)
> 
> Dan