[pianotech] Rusted Underlever screw

[Ron Nossaman]

On 12/18/2011 10:34 AM, Joseph Garrett wrote:
> Al,
> Even one (1) drop will creep a lot farther than you would imagine!! I
> strongly urge NOT using that stuff. My experiments showed me that it's a
> bad substance to have around a piano. That sort of rationale is wrong.
> We're not talking metal on metal, which it's made for. We're talking
> metal IN WOOD! A whole different animal.
> Just my take on it.

Theoretically, you're talking about metal on metal, being the screw in 
the barrel. The reality is that any penetrating oil will inevitably 
escape into the surrounding wood, which as you say is decidedly un-good. 
That's why I suggested clipping the wire, removing the under lever, 
drilling the screw out (dry), and replacing either the under-lever top 
block, or the barrel and screw, and the damper wire. In the end, it'll 
be faster and less destructive than trying to soak the thing loose with 
some killer goop and ultimately being forced to replace it anyway when 
that doesn't work.

Ron N