Verdigris

[Jim Busby]

Tim,

I agree with your reasoning. Based on you "testimonial" of Wild Turkey
Bourbon I won't hesitate to try it if the customer can't afford new
parts. It seems past posts vastly underestimated how much it costs for
"parts replacement". Here's how I see it; (very rough estimates)

Wippens $800.00
Shanks flanges $300.00
New hammers to go on the new shanks & flanges $300.00
New underlever system $900.00
Installation and complete regulation of new parts $2,000.00 - $3,000.00

IOW, parts replacement $3,000.00 - $5,000.00 vs. $10.00?

Thanks for your input,
Jim Busby BYU

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Tim Coates
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 9:30 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: Verdigris

I believe the original question was concerning an application of 
somesort to remedy verdigris.

The comments have all been interesting.  But there are underlining 
issues that haven't been addressed.  They will determine which methods 
to use.  What type piano are we talking about and what is the economic 
situation of the customer.  Remember them?

I recently used Wild Turkey Bourbon on a grand that is owned by a 
retired music professor who is on a fixed income.  According to some 
this situation should only be remedied by replacing the parts.  Which 
foods or medicines should this fixed income person forgo so he can play 
his piano with new parts? Maybe he should just not have a piano for the 
rest of his life?  Gosh, maybe that is fitting.  If he can't fix it 
right, he shouldn't fix it at all.

I have permanently (the list seems to think 25 years enough time to 
qualify as permanent) repaired verdigris in spinet and console pianos 
for people with very limited incomes.  I suppose I should refuse to 
work on these pianos because they aren't grand pianos, but in my part 
of the world you work on everything or you don't work.  Word gets 
around that you are uppedy and the people with the grands won't hire 
you.  Some of you work in a different type of world and that's OK, but 
don't think your rules must apply to everybody else.  Personally I find 
the lower income people more of pleasure to work for.  I could tell 
stories here, but it's not worth  it.  Let's put it this way, there is 
a difference between being taken for granted and being truly 
appreciated for my skills.

Not everything is cut and dried.  Yes, I replace parts in fine 
instruments if the situation allows it.   Contrary to what others are 
saying, there is more than one way to fix the verdigris problem.  And 
the fix can be long lasting.  I will say that using Wild Turkey Bourbon 
on flanges that have had some sort of lubricant put on them doesn't 
work well.  The original question didn't say anything about other 
chemicals already being put on the flanges.   The question pertained to 
verdigris only as I understood it.

Tim Coates
University of South Dakota

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