Shellac vs. lacquer

[Erwinspiano@AOL.COM]

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In a message dated 7/15/2002 1:05:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
davidlovepianos@earthlink.net writes:


> Subj:Re: Shellac vs. lacquer 
> Date:7/15/2002 1:05:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time
> From:<A HREF="mailto:davidlovepianos@earthlink.net">davidlovepianos@earthlink.net</A>
> Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>
> To:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>
> Sent from the Internet 
> 
>  Susan

   I have to confess that Davids influence has gotten me to use more 
lacquers/acetone solutions  again instead of Plexiglass which I used for 
quite a long time and still do if I don't want to harden as much.
 I've used exactly the format David outlined hear and it is very effective. 
However solution strength will vary depending of course on how stiff the 
hammer is initially. 
   I always juice up some mono chords first just to get a feel for what it 
will take as to solution strength.  Can't go wrong down there. Besides I like 
some real teeth/bite to the low bass sound. Its also a safe place for 
begginers to experiment.
  I haven't tried shellac yet. Too many new things in the hoper right now.
>>>>>>>>>>>Dale Erwin>>>>>>>>>

> 
> Susan:
> 
> I think the problem with using hardeners on the crown of soft hammers
> without reinforcing the structure underneath is that you can end up with 
> the
> thumbtack-in-the-marshmallow-sound.  When you play softly, the piano seems
> to have some power, but as you start to force it and compress the hammer
> down to the underlying structure the hammer just flattens out and you get
> nothing.
> 
> The difficulty lies in reinforcing the hammer deep without allowing the
> stronger lacquer to creep to the surface.  I've gone to adding lacquer from
> the sides when I want to build up the overall firmness.  You can direct the
> lacquer deep underneath the strike point (where it is needed) without
> letting it creep up to the crown.  On a Steinway hammer, getting the 
> lacquer
> under the crown is essential.  Reinforcing the from the shoulders has 
> little
> or no effect if the lacquer doesn't creep under the strike point.  Several
> drops on each side of the hammer will penetrate without getting to the 
> crown
> and you can control just how close to the crown you want it to go.
> Basically, the lower in the scale, the farther from the crown.  I also use
> two solutions for reinforcing switching to a slightly weaker solution as I
> get into the low tenor and bass.
> 
> After you have built up the underlying structure of the hammer (which you
> test by playing loud when the lacquer is thoroughly dry), you can then
> address the attack with a weaker solution.  Adjustments in the reinforcing
> can be done again from the side if you find that the hammer is not quite
> firm enough without effecting the attack.
> 
> David Love
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Susan Kline" <sckline@attbi.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: July 15, 2002 11:42 AM
> Subject:


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