Re; soundboard cleaning the easy way (Brian Grist)

[John Ross]

You could keep the tank full, by purchasing, a 12V unit for blowing up your tires. Have it connected between jobs.
Some service stations would even let you refill the tank.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada.
jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: BRIAN GRIST 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Cc: bng0809 at msn.com 
  Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2006 2:30 AM
  Subject: Re; soundboard cleaning the easy way (Brian Grist)



     I read the header, thinking maybe someone had really come up with an easy way to clean soundboards. Generally, I still use the steel "wand" with one of the newer micro-fiber rags attached. I fix a vacuum cleaner nozzle towards the 'receiving end' of the pushed dust and debris. No magic and certainly not easy. I have always left the soundboard improved, but also have never achieved what I consider stellar (like new) results. 

     Being with vast computer experience; particularly with a variety of "technician in a can" solutions; I would suggest one must know that the warnings on the canisters of 'keyboard cleaner' or the like are absolutely correct. Frost indeed forms around the nozzle of these accelerants and should not be held close; as in targeting a particular dust bunny or specific accumulation; particularly close to strings or directly at the cap of the bridge. Rather, these propellants should be used much as an air wand; used to generally push the build-up of dust in a direction, thus allowing one to clear the strings and then remove the debris from the edge of the soundboard. Technically, if you were to hold a thermometer in the stream of propellant, I am sure you would find a significant decrease in its cooling effect on the ambient temperature the further you move from the nozzle (or that elusive red tube that directs the spray). 

     This is a wonderful subject and deserves lots of discussion from my perspective. My cumbersome technique for removing copious quantities of dust (where the dust bunnies have names) on neglected pianos involves using a 'charged' 5-gallon compressed air tank or compressed air supply with a high quality regulated wand. To complement this burdensome system, I place a quality vacuum hose at the receiving end so as to capture the dust as it travels towards the vacuum nozzle. I vastly improved the look of all three horribly dirty pianos this system was used on, but it is hardly suitable for routine or marginally dirty soundboards and requires at least an hour to assemble the equipment, perform the task and then remove the equipment.

     The weakness of my system, aside from the sheer amount of stuff you have to haul around, is that the 5-gallon tank doesn't have enough capacity to direct the debris for very long before exhausting its charge of compressed air. I have only used this 'system' on three severely dirty pianos; still finished with the steel wand and micro-fiber rag and also vacuumed around the immediate vicinity of the piano to capture some residual dust that got on the carpet. The results markedly improved the look of the soundboard; such that decals could be read and appreciated, but took over one hour to complete the "blow and go." All three were also 'showpiece' quality historic pianos that I also ended up cleaning, repairing and even polishing their cases to achieve the customers' objectives.

     In other words; in no way am I recommending my system and would suggest that two modern, high powered portable vacuums with both directed exhaust and powerful vacuum capabilities would do as well or better; but my objective is no less than to entice that technician who has held some great secret close to their chest and is just chomping at the bit to finally reveal a tried and true technique that achieves marvelous soundboard cleaning results in less than an hour to come forth. I have cast the bait and am trolling for additional wisdom in this area of our craft.

  Brian Grist bng0809 at msn.com
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