Rust on Strings

[gordon stelter]

I suggest that the concrete floor did not have an
adequate vapor barrier placed beneath it before it was
poured. It should have been plastic or vinyl of about
20 mils, I think. I also think that whoever poured the
floor should be held accountable, or at least
investigated, as this should probably not be happening
if proper building codes were obeyed. Get a $20
digital hygrometer from Radio Shack and see what the
interior humidity is.
     Unlined, a poured concrete floor is nothing more
than a great big sponge, absorbing and transmitting
moisture from the earth beneath. Pianos should never
be kept on them if there is any doubt as to whether
they have a liner beneath. Unless, of course, you wnat
your pianos to fall apart.
     Thump
 
--- Brian L Janey <brianjaney@juno.com> wrote:
> Dave -
> 
> A couple of possibilities:
> 
> 1.) A over zealous cleaning lady with a damp cloth
> trying to remove dust
> [who maybe does her cleaning when the piano owner is
> not paying
> attention]?
> 2.) Furr-ball walking about in the piano when the
> lid is up [owner
> unaware], or worse yet, taking naps on the strings?
> Those little paws can
> carry moisture from the cool/damp concrete floors on
> to the strings.
> 
> Just a couple of ideas...
> Brian Janey
> Fallbrook, CA
> 
> Listers, 
> 
> I had a tuning today on a brand new Kawai RX-3 6
> foot 2 grand.  The piano
> has been in the house for maybe 3 months.  It was
> closed up tight, but
> when I opened it, I saw that rust was already
> starting to form on the
> strings and on some of the pins.  I was shocked, and
> was at a loss to
> figure out how this could happen, especially in a
> house with radiant
> heating(that's another issue).   
> 
> It is on caster cups on a painted cement slab floor,
> and there are no
> plants in the room. 
> 
> I had a few ideas, and I'm pretty sure I figured out
> the reason for this
> early oxidation, especially after talking to the
> rather freaked-out owner
> tonight. 
> 
> So what, in your esteemed opinions, might this be
> caused by? 
> 
> Dave "rust never sleeps and neither do I" Stahl 


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