Sizing centers with alcohol & water

[John Formsma]

Thanks to everyone who has responded thus far.
Good suggestions, Patrick.  The repair estimate includes complete action
disassembly, checking friction, any necessary repinning, and regulation.
 This has been a nagging problem, and I'm glad they are willing to pay me to
dig deeper into the actual cause.  It has been something that appears to go
away with vacuuming mouse droppings, polishing capstans, etc. After that has
been done, I've not been able to duplicate while at the piano.

Will definitely check the key bushings.

And I might give the Vodka a try tomorrow, Tom.  Hic.  And, Terry, I have
mixed my elixir rather unscientifically as well, but just didn't want to
admit it in public. <G>

--
JF


On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 5:23 PM, J Patrick Draine <jpdraine at gmail.com>wrote:

> The alcohol/water sizing approach was always the official Baldwin approach.
> They also recommended a slight bit of Ivory soap in the solution to act as a
> surficant (?sp?? helps it absorb into the felt). Who knows what they say or
> do now ... I have had experiences w/ Baldwin verticals in which this
> solution didn't work for me. I ended up repinning most wippen hammer, and
> jack flanges. There was something waxy in the felt -- not the green Steinway
> verdigris, but something that added a lot of drag on the action.
> And take a good look at the key bushings, some of them are too deep;
> rebushing rather than easing is necessary if that's the case.
> Patrick Draine
>
> On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 3:10 PM, John Formsma <formsma at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> List,
>>
>>
>> I will be working this week on a Baldwin vertical action with friction
>> problems.  I thought I'd give alcohol/water a try first before repinning.
>>
>>
>
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