Thanks everyone, I promised them a written service report on each piano, I keep written records on each piano I service, so I'll have a little transcribing to do. Every piano with evidence of oil/grease on the strings will be listed along with a discussion of possible consequences and treatment. What possible bridge problems do you anticipate? seems to me that this was alluded to. Andrew At 10:46 PM 10/9/2005, you wrote: >Andrew, > >I'd say Jim has it pretty much exactly how you should proceed. I >would emphasize the idea that "you were the last piano >technician". Don't let this become your problem...i.e. something >associated with you. Now is the time to let them know about the >problem "you've have found". > >David Ilvedson, RPT >Pacifica, California > > >----- Original message ---------------------------------------- >From: "Jim Harvey" <harvey@greenwood.net> >To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org> >Received: 10/9/2005 8:28:33 PM >Subject: RE: [CAUT] Grease/Oil on upright pressure bar > > > >Okay, Andrew, this explains the "bunch", and it qualifies for Harvey's > >rule-of-six axiom: more than six of anything requires a different > >approach -- whether keycovers, tuning pins, strings, hammers, or pianos. > > >I've only had hands-on with Boston grands, so can't speak to other > >replies about how the verticals tune/feel. Since we seem to be getting > >more details by the moment, I submit that only machine tools typically > >get a liberal dose of "slickum" before shipping to help prevent rust > >during transport and warehousing. Piano manufacturers know better, so > >the most they do is special absorbent paper, silica gel or other > >desiccant, then sometimes sealing the pianos in plastic, etc. > > >Staff technicians are at less risk for scrutiny than part-time, > >as-needed folks. In your case, I might suggest documenting this > >situation. You've already begun by commenting here. Other supporting > >materials, evidence, etc. may help, such as samples of the material > >you've collected. Not trying to sound over-dramatic, but you may want to > >think like the forensics folks. Use a sterile swab or other to collect a > >sample of the lubricious material. Photos are good, but likely out of > >the question for this situation. > > >Eight (or more) of the same brand and type of pianos in one place (the > >school), and with the same set of negative conditions are enough to get > >a manufacturer's attention! They may want their representative to > >evaluate this personally. At a minimum, they may want another opinion > >from an "expert" (someone from more than 25 miles away -- or in your > >case, probably 100 miles), and in this case, one who has NOT been > >involved with those instruments. > > >You should also continue to practice gentle persuation with the prof, > >chair, committee, whomever, and do so in writing. Poor school or not, > >they need to be informed of the situation and the down-stream > >potentials. All this is as much for YOU as it is for them. Otherwise, > >when the next 'PRN' is contracted, YOU become the last person who was > >exposed to these pianos. I've found a lot of faculty tend to have even > >shorter memories than I. > > >The manufacturer may say they didn't do it (probably true so be ready > >for it). OTOH, considering there are a significant number of their units > >"exposed", they may elect to intervene in some manner. This comes under > >the "implied warranty" or "peace of mind assurance" that is undocumented > >but actually exists with manufacturers. Also, depending on the schools > >resources, this may qualify for some type of insurance claim, again > >depending on the extent and costs of correction. > > >As a final thought, I've also seen vandalism that was very discrete. One > >example was the application of one drop of (some type of) lubricant to > >each tuning pin where it entered the block. In this case, nothing > >happened to tuning stability! That is, until the first time a tuning > >lever was applied to the pin! Once the initial "stiction" was disturbed, > >the string tension lowered pitch real fast! > > >Jim Harvey > >PS: I'm really curious about the "yellow" part. Sulfer content? Dunno, > >might be right in there with disguising arsenic with coloring before > >applying to the insides of pianos. > > > >-----Original Message----- > >Jim, > >This affects some 8, possibly more, upright 'Boston' pianos. One has > >a dead bass unison. It is in the deep bass and I'll have to check to > >see if it is lubricant related. The bass section did seem to tune > >normally. These pianos probably came with tight pin-blocks and > >springy pins. That someone would try lubricating the pressure bar to > >improve that surprises me. It definitely isn't rusty, just yields > >this oily yellow stuff and dirt when you drag a rag under it. At first I > >was thinking a mis-guided "rust-proofing" effort but it is > >an upright and gravity will do its work so that could account for the > >oily strings. I was hoping to come up with something that would not > >involve air pollution (solvents) or removing the bars. Looks like > >that is the only solution that will really get the job done. A heat > >gun or torch really risks pushing me towards re-stringing besides > >burnishing the plate paint or worse, burning it. :-[ > >I wondered at first if someone had fooled with the pressure bars but > >the position does look average for the pianos: a couple degrees rise > >from the coils to the bar and much more (20 -30 guestimated) from the > >bar to the termination point on the plate. > > >I'll go back to the worst one at some point a see how its doing and > >check out that dead bass unison more carefully. I did ask the piano > >proff. off hand if anyone had wanted to "treat" the pianos, he wasn't > >aware of any such plan. I guess I may end up being the bearer of bad > >news. > > >Andrew > > >_______________________________________________ > >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >_______________________________________________ >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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