Damp Chaser in old upright

[Phil Ryan]

How can you fault a DamppChaser system for problems in a 90 year old piano?
The DC system is a great system, but it can't perform miracles.  I always
tell my custormers that 40 years is all you can expect out of a normal home
piano without a major rebuild.  Your piano is twice overdue a rebuild
according to my theory of piano rebuilding.

Phil Ryan
Miami Beach



-----Original Message-----
From: jstuart1 <jstuart1@pdq.net>
To: pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Friday, July 06, 2001 7:38 PM
Subject: Damp Chaser in old upright


>I am currently repairing the action to an old upright built in 1911.
>This piano has had a Damp Chaser or similar product in it for almost 25
>years. This is the first piano I have seen that has such a system.
>Almost all of the sticker felts have come loose, a couple of jacks have
>become unglued and the catcher buckskins were dry rotted so badly that
>just a touch causes them to fall off clean to the wood. I have seen wear
>in these old uprights but while there is definitly wear I have never
>seen so many glue joints just let go like this. I am curious if this is
>a result of the Damp Chaser system having been in the piano for over 25
>years constantly heating the inside.
>
>I am merely a beginner but this is the first time I have seen this. This
>piano has been in a family home since it was originally purchased in
>1911 and never stored in a garage or other such area. Instead of
>moisture damage which I have seen, this appears to have been plain dried
>out.
>
>JStuart
>
>