Yes, you're right. But at least the discharge is dissipated a bit ( and the bag-grown microbes have a chance to die) before the clients return. Unless it's a Rainbow(TM) the ONLY vacuum legal to run even while folks are eating, I believe; because it is rated as an "air purifier". In fact, I have an old one I use for REALLY nasty stuff I don't ever want to inhale again, because with it I can just dump out the dust-trapping sludge, and "wet dust can't fly". (No nasty bags to deal with.) As an alternative (back On Topic!) I suppose someone could put some water in the bottom of a regular wet and dry vac, but would not be anywhere nearly as effective at sequestering germs than the technology in a Rainbow(TM). Anyhoo.....I've gotten plenty sick from standard vacuum discharge (strep throat, etc.) so avoid the things whenever possible. I also carry a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwash in my van, so if I breathe, at a customer's house ( or
anywhere else) anything gross (in or out of a piano) I can remove many of the germs from my mouth (where they start multiplying) quickly: evading many illnesses. (Hint: if you have a bad taste in your mouth, DON'T SWALLOW --- until you get rid of it!) I get sick much less frequently since adopting this regime. I also wear "coveralls" (usually just an extra set of clothes on top) that I can remove, bag, and toss in the van before driving home. And also even carry a couple of jugs of water to dump over my head and rinse out my hair with, if needed. ( But I keep knit hats on hand to cover my hair, too, while dealing with anything filthy.) As we all know, pianos are astonishing collectors of filth, and often were not, in the last 100 years, kept in "pristine" environments. My health (and the health of everyone I subsequently contact) is far more important to me than "looking suave". I long ago abandoned all notions that "proving my manhood" in any way
depended upon my diving into hazardous circumstances, unprotected.
Euphonious Thumpe
________________________________
From: Paul Williams <pwilliams4 at unl.edu>
To: "pianotech at ptg.org" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 6:05 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Fwd: Metro Vac 'n Blo (now a bit OT)
Thumpe! You know darn well that the cleaning folk run a real vacuum cleaner full power as soon as the restaurant is closed; bring out the bleach and all! (hopefully)… So it, the dust, gets to settle everywhere before the door opens! Kind of makes you say, "ewee"! Don't know how Denny's or other 24 hour restaurant handles it. I've seen some of those silly powerless "push-brooms" if you will, but no way does it pick up the real dirt down in the carpet. How do they handle it?
Just a comment, nothing more..Now a bit OT.
Paul
From: Euphonious Thumpe <lclgcnp at yahoo.com> Reply-To: "pianotech at ptg.org" <pianotech at ptg.org> Date: Thursday, June 14, 2012 4:54 PM To: "pianotech at ptg.org" <pianotech at ptg.org> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Fwd: Metro Vac 'n Blo
Please, everyone, just remember that a traditional vacuum cleaner bag is an ideal place for germs to germinate. ( Warm, humid ---from condensation--- filthy and dark. ) For this reason, it is illegal to run a vacuum cleaner in a restaurant, in every state, while people are eating. (Place a flashlight against the exhaust-end airflow of a vacuum ceaner in a darkened room, turn it on, and watch the crud fly out! Like the Jolly Green Giant (TM) just sneezed!) I wouldn't want to blow that into anyone's nice piano, especially if the last thing cleaned with it was a filthy old "clunker"; so I keep a couple on hand -- an old $5 "beater" for vacuuming up filth, and a new small one ( tiny ShopVac(TM) $30) for blowing relatively innocuous dust, and vacuuming up clean sawdust. When I move a piano, I like to take the action out BEFORE loading. This both gets the weight down, and allows a nice blowing out, outside ( with an air compressor) prior to placing in the
customer's new locale. ( And gives one the chance to explain the benefits of hammer shaping, punching replacement, lubrication and etc., quite graphically. ) Large cardboard bicycle boxes (available free at many bike shops) fit both upright and grand actions, beautifully. The uprights can just be lowered in gentlly while holding the brackets, while grands can be slid (carefully) in while the box is tilted toward you at an angle, with the key side going in first. Then I carry and store either, vertically. Big mattress bags can be used to cover grands for storage or shipping. The King Sized ones I get from self-storage outfits for about $4 each. I've covered a 5'9" grand with them, but suspect they might also cover up to 6'. (More completely encapsulating than drop cloths, etc..) Thumpe
________________________________
From: Isaac Sadigursky <irs.pianos at earthlink.net>;
To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>;
Subject: [pianotech] Fwd: Metro Vac 'n Blo
Sent: Thu, Jun 14, 2012 3:50:43 AM
Begin forwarded message:
From: Isaac Sadigursky <irs.pianos at earthlink.net>
>Date: June 13, 2012 8:48:39 PM PDT
>To: Isaac Sadigursky <irs.pianos at earthlink.net>
>Subject: Fwd: [pianotech] Metro Vac 'n Blo
>
>
>Begin forwarded message:
>From: Isaac Sadigursky <isaacspianoservice at gmail.com>
>>Date: June 13, 2012 8:31:15 PM PDT
>>To: pianotech at ptg.org
>>Subject: Re: [pianotech] Metro Vac 'n Blo
>>Hi, Paul! Very nice set-up! What works for me: Old trusted Electrolux with 2 hoses: vacuum first and then Vacuum and blowing together speeds things-up.At the tail of a grand I lake to place a WET Rag,it works as a Dust Arrester..Try it,it works,dust doesn't get on a white carpet or drapes.... All this is stored in a carry-on wheeled luggage case. 2 luggage cases on top of a back seat of a car make it easier to slide in and out a Grand action.. Small blanket to protect working area, few extra disposable bags in one of the pockets,few rags are stored inside my Vacuum Bag... This set-up gets me a lot of extra points,compliments from client and $$. Hope,it helps to become a little more efficient.. See you in Seattle. Isaac Sadigursky, RPT Los Angeles Chapter On Jun 13, 2012, at 6:49 PM, paul bruesch wrote:
>>I've been trying to convince a fellow piano tech, who will be replacing his burnt-out Mighty-Mite vacuum, of the virtues of the Metro Vac 'n Blo that several of us own. It all got me to thinking about some of the minor irritations I've had with mine. My primary gripe has been that it's round and it rolls over, sometimes making it annoying to find the on/off switch. I've also always been a bit nervous about it rolling into a grand leg and marring it. I decided to see what I could throw together in my apartment with supplies I had on hand.
>>>
>>
>>>
>>I first sawed (in a miter box with a dull back saw) a piece of 1x8 pine to 13-1/2", and a couple pieces of 5/8" dowel to 10-1/2". Glued and stapled (air gun stapler) the dowels to a width just enough to lift the outermost diameter off the 1x8. Why? So I can change bags easily, or just remove the intake end if I need more force on the output ("Blo") end.
>>>
>>
>>>
>>Pilot drilled for some simple cup hooks, dribbled the holes with CA, and hooked my tarp bungee cords (10 or 12 for a couple $$ at your locally-owned Ace Hardware).
>>>
>>Then I put some no-slip, self-adhesive protecto feet on the bottom and I'm done.
>>>
>>
>>>
>>Paul Bruesch
>>>
>>Stillwater, MN
>>>
>><IMG_20120613_201106_MetroVacStand_1600Q6.jpg>
>>>
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