bushings damaged by wd 40

[Paul McCloud]

If you take a strong air hose and blast out the gunk, using a solvent (Protek, alcohol, elixir du-jour, etc.) you will find that whatever is contaminating the flange seems to ooze from the pores of the wood.  I had an action which was practically frozen, and did this treatment.   After blasting the gunk out, the flanges worked quite well.  I haven't been back, but I've not heard from this customer again.  Put the nozzle of the air hose directly on the flange (pin still inserted), load up the flange with your juice, and watch the fun.  The secret is getting it out of the wood, not just the flange bushing cloth.
    Paul McCloud
    San Diego


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Willem Blees 
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: 11/23/2007 4:53:15 PM 
Subject: Re: bushings damaged by wd 40


Gene

It would be a good idea to ask the customer if another piano tuner did something to the action. You can smell WD 40 on the parts. You want to know this, so that the customer won't blame you for problems down the road. Suggest to the customer that it will be better for you to do all of the centers the same, instead of doing only the worst ones, and having to come back, because eventually all of them will become sluggish.

The problem with WD40 is that it has penetrated the flange cloth. The stuff attracts dirt and humidity. So even though you can burnish and clean the cloth where it is in contact with the center pin, eventually the WD40 will soak through to the center pin again, and you'll wind up with the same sluggish action. So although the customer can't afford to replace the parts, unfortunately, that might be the only solution. 

Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Honolulu, HI
Author of 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Gene Nelson <nelsong at pbic.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Fri, 23 Nov 2007 12:51 pm
Subject: bushings damaged by wd 40


Hello list,
Here again with more bushing woes.
Have a client with a relatively new (8yrs) Nordiska 5'8" and all of the hammer flanges are tight. There is no friction problems anywhere else in the action. I have reason to believe that these bushings were treated with wd 40 or similar - they were discolored and appeared a dirty burgundy color compared with the typical bright red on whip flanges.
First visit I chose 7 of the worst offenders and repinned. Friction was over 10g at the flange and was < 3g after repinning. I used my straight broaches to fit the new pin to the bushing - did not rebush - and the bushings were very difficult to size - had to shave off felt with the cutting part of the broach and only went 1/2 size larger on the pin.
Client calls today to say they are tightening up again. Have not experienced this before. 
Also,  I treated all other flanges with ProTek and they responded very well - dropped the touchweight at the key from 67 to 57g on average. These are also tightening up according to the client. Did this work only 6 days ago. There are no excessive humidity issues in the home.
Will return to experiment with alcohol water and a zapper - electrically heat the pin to iron the bushing.
Anyone experienced with wd contaminated bushings I would appreciate advice.
The client cannot afford to rebush or replace parts - repinning appears to have some complication here for some reason.
Thanks.
Gene Nelson


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