shell-shock

[Otto Keyes]

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Susan & all,

My theory (& that's all it is) is that the hardener, at the proper =
dilution, will cling to the fibers, leaving some space in between.  Do I =
have any microscopic pictures of a disembowelled hammer to show =
emperical evidence that this is actually happening?  No, this is the =
authority of ignorance speaking, but it seems logical to me, since there =
seems to good penetration on subsequent doping of the hammers, along =
with noticeable improvement in the tone.  It would be interesting to =
look at bits of hammer felt which had been doped with different =
substances & dilutions.  The colored shellac on your old hammers (get a =
reasonable shape on them first) might be an interesting study, =
particularly if you started with a lighter shellac & went to a darker =
one with each application, tried different dilutions, application =
methods, etc.; try them on an action to see how they sound (easier if =
you have some already on shanks), then cut them apart when you were done =
to see how the penetration looks.  My guess is that there would be an =
arch across the width of the hammer as well, corresponding to the =
distance to edge of the hammer/density, wicking action of the cut/uncut =
felt, etc.  Boy, is it easy to design experiments if you don't plan to =
do the work!   Have at it, Susan!   ;-)  Actually, it could be very =
useful information.  Maybe somebody has already done this.  Anybody know =
if anyone has gone this route before?  No need to re-invent the wheel.

I'm not sure that one hardener is inherently better than another, but =
part of the reason that I like the keytop solution is the color (or lack =
thereof).  Then I can tell whether or not a mouse has gotten in the =
piano & done a number on the hammers.  :-)

Otto
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Susan Kline=20
  To: College and University Technicians=20
  Sent: Monday, February 03, 2003 2:39 PM
  Subject: Re: shell-shock


  Otto, I'm wondering if shellac would block like that, preventing =
further applications from=20
  wicking in. It is awfully soluble in alcohol. Is it possible that =
keytop is more impenetrable than shellac, after setting up? Also, =
shellac is sort of brittle, so a little squeezing with pliers after it =
has dried might break it up enough to let more solution into the deeper =
parts of the hammer.

  I suppose I could experiment on some old, soft hammers and see. If I =
used one of the more colored shellacs, I could determine better where =
the solids are ending up.=20

  Susan

  At 12:42 PM 2/3/2003 -0800, Otto wrote:

    I think the key with any substance used for juicing is having a =
dilution that allows the hardening agent to penetrate to the depth =
desired without forming a crust.  Fred Drasche always stressed the =
"fill-in" method -- starting a bit higher (I start at about 10 & 2 =
o'clock - on raw marshmallows) with a bit of juice & then fill in below, =
allowing it to wick almost up to the crown.  The felt filters the solids =
out as the solvent wicks through, leaving the hardener away from the =
crown, which avoids that "ping".  (Not always successful, mind you.) =
You'll notice it travel in a bit of an arch -- faster through the =
outer/softer layers of the hammer, & acetone flashes off quickly, so one =
has to watch closely & move down the hammer to compensate.=20
    =20
    With the hardener diluted properly, the felt should still be porous, =
allowing the 2nd application to penetrate.  Acetone softens the =
hardening agent & wicks it further into the hammer.  My goal is to get =
just enough hardener into the hammer to bond the fibers elastically, so =
the resilience is still there.  If my 2nd or 3rd application won't =
penetrate, then I've gotten the stuff on too thick in the first place.  =
Then it doesn't matter what I've used as an agent, I'll have to soak the =
junk out or throw out the hammers.
    =20
    Otto

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