[pianotech] Lead contamination abatement protocol

[Nicholas Gravagne]

Hi Barbara,

Good question. The Plasti Dip (PD) makes for a rather high-friction
surface on the edge of the clip-on that makes contact with the
backcheck leather. I've had to open up the clips a bit for a better
fit, but these need to be a good friction fit or they will keep
falling off.

If I were to do again, I would not coat that edge surface with PD, but
I would apply with a brush another sealant. Of course, the bendable
clip itself needs no attention in this regard.

As to the PD: you might need more than you think as dipping means
submersion followed by extraction. Let it drip into the supply for a
couple of seconds and then hang the leads on a dowel to drip any
excess onto today's Wall Street Journal. If you can't completely
submerge leads number 70 to 88 you will find yourself treating them
same as breading and battering a piece of cod fish.

BTW, my PD color is a really cool looking blue!


On Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 8:26 AM, Barbara Richmond <piano57 at comcast.net> wrote:
> Hi Nick,
>
> I've sprayed my clip on key-leveling weights as suggested by Jim Moy
> (January09 TT&T).  But dipping would be easier.  How well do the plastic
> coated ones slide on and off the back checks?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Barbara Richmond, RPT
> near Peoria, Illinois
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nicholas Gravagne" <ngravagne at gmail.com>
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 9:54:59 AM
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Lead contamination abatement protocol
>
>
> While on the subject, I have sprayed heavy coats of lacquer on my
> clip-on leveling leads. (Of course I sprayed the lacquer in an
> unventilated area and passed out on my shop floor for two days. The
> UPS guy found me). Don't know how effective the lacquer thing is over
> the long haul. I have also dipped a few clip-ons in a liquid called
> Plasti Dip.
>
> See http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip
>
>
>



-- 
Nick Gravagne, RPT
AST Mechanical Engineering