[pianotech] Soundboard Lacquer Finish

[Al Guecia/AlliedPianoCraft]

"The Philistine method"

Oh!.........is that where it is?  I once had it, but now it's lost. I'm 
happy it ended up in a good place. <G>

ANON

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From: "Ron Nossaman" <rnossaman at cox.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 11:55 AM
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Soundboard Lacquer Finish

> PAULREVENKOJONES at aol.com wrote:
>> Dale:
>>  Is it your opinion (and others welcome!) that DAG or other purported 
>> friction-reducing finishes on bridge tops are simply traditional? Is 
>> there a real argument against them? For them?
>
> The bridge pins are the high friction component of the system, as well as 
> the termination. Friction on the cap is pretty much inconsequential 
> according to the math.  I've suspected for many years that bridge tops are 
> traditionally graphited because they were being notched by hung over old 
> guys in a dark corner under gas light. They needed the contrast to see 
> where the notch was. I got tired of tracking graphite all over the place 
> hand notching graphited bridges, so I finally just quit using it. I leave 
> the tops bare now, epoxy the pins in after notching, and spray semi gloss 
> lacquer over the soundboard, bridge, bridge top, and pins with no apparent 
> tonal penalty. I no longer undercoat with shellac (though I used to, and 
> still like the color of the orange stuff), and I don't want a soft sanding 
> sealer coat under my precat lacquer. So I use just lacquer (*mostly* 
> avoiding spraying bridge tops in the early coats), rubbing out the first 
> two coats with pumice, and finishing with a good wet top coat over 
> EVERYTHING. The Philistine method.
>
> Ron N
>
>