Verdigris and Goof-Off

[Paul McCloud]

Once upon a time, I had an action that someone had used WD-40 or some other
lube on it.  It was almost virtually frozen.  I used Protek, methanol, and
whatever solvent was available, but I also blasted the gunk out with a air
gun.  The bushings really came out clean-looking.  I put the tip of the gun
right on the bushings, and I could see some excess come out of the end
grain in the wood flanges.  Just dissolving the stuff is not apparently
enough, but getting it out of there seems to be the trick.  Apparently,
whatever caused the vertigris has to have migrated into the pores of the
wood, ready to come out again.
I don't see vertigris very often, so I couldn't comment on that.  My
customer with the frozen action has never called back to complain, so I
assume my procedure worked.
FWIW,

Paul McCloud
San Diego


> [Original Message]
> From: Tom Driscoll <tomtuner at verizon.net>
> To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Date: 10/20/2007 10:48:08 AM
> Subject: Re: Verdigris and Goof-Off
>
> David,
>     Tried it --Sometimes works great and sometimes not.
> As with most of these attempts at solving the vexing verdigris visitation 
> permanent success is a crap shoot.
>     Mr Bondi has suggested a heat gun which I have yet to try and I also 
> picked up some brake cleaner for my next experiment .
>     Tom Driscoll
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos at comcast.net>
> To: "'Pianotech List'" <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2007 12:20 PM
> Subject: Verdigris and Goof-Off
>
>
> > While removing some action parts with light verdigris today I had this
> > brainstorm to put a couple drops of Goof-Off on them to see what
happened.
> > I was surprised to find that the loosened up almost immediately. 
Reading
> > the ingredients I found that Goof-Off contains Xylene so I tried that 
> > which
> > worked almost as well.  These parts were not that heavy with verdigris
and
> > I'm wondering if anyone has any parts with heavy verdigris available
that
> > they could try this experiment on--or has anybody tried this particular
> > solvent and with what success over the long term.
> >
> > David Love
> > davidlovepianos at comcast.net
> > www.davidlovepianos.com
> >
> > 
>