[CAUT] Critter-damaged punchings

[Keith Roberts]

Genius. Nuke 'em.

What do they use for termites? The alternative to the bag and chemicals?
Ultrasonic?

Keith Roberts


On 5/13/07, Ed Sutton <ed440 at mindspring.com> wrote:
>
> Annie-
>
> How about microwaving them?
>
> Ed Sutton
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Annie Grieshop" <annie at allthingspiano.com>
> To: "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
> Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 12:33 PM
> Subject: [PHISH] Re: [CAUT] Critter-damaged punchings
>
>
> > Israel,
> >
> > Put the new punchings in a cloth or mesh bag, toss the bag in a
> > clothesdryer, and let it tumble for 15-20 minutes.  That will certainly
> > kill
> > any larvae and probably do in the eggs, as well, without any chemicals
> at
> > all.  Heat would guarantee the eggs are killed (and it shouldn't harm
> the
> > punchings -- try it with a few to find out), but even cold-air tumbling
> > will
> > probably do a thorough job on them.
> >
> > The bag does need to get thrown around inside the dryer, so you might
> have
> > to add tennis balls or tennis shoes (the same procedure as fluffing a
> down
> > comforter).
> >
> >>From your description, my guess is the damage was done before the pianos
> > left the factory and is not an ongoing problem.  But better to have some
> > extra insurance.
> >
> > Annie Grieshop
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org]On Behalf Of
> >> Israel Stein
> >> Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 9:39 AM
> >> To: caut at ptg.org
> >> Subject: [CAUT] Critter-damaged punchings
> >>
> >>
> >> At 11:01 AM 5/11/2007, James Ellis wrote:
> >> >Whenever I would find moth-critter damage to punchings, I would strip
> >> >the
> >> >keybed clean - puncings, key cloth, and all, clean the whole piano
> >> >thoroughly, looking for any evidence of moth eggs.  If I found them,
> the
> >> >job would become more extensive.  After that, there would usually be
> no
> >> >problem, provided the piano was cleaned once in a while.
> >> >
> >> >Tuners Supply Company used to have a moth proofing liquid called
> X-Hale.
> >> >Fumes from that stuff were so strong they would make your eyes
> >> burn.  There
> >> >was no water in it.  One would soak the insides of the piano
> >> with it, close
> >> >it up, and cover it for 24 hours.  No live critters or eggs would be
> >> >left
> >> >after that, and the funes would soon dissipate after opening the
> >> piano back
> >> >up.
> >> >
> >> >That was 60 years ago.  I don't have that problem now.  Israel,
> >> do you find
> >> >the damage in several pianos?  If so, there is a common source of
> these
> >> >critters, and perhaps you should get the pest control people involved.
> >> >Clean the pianos out, and replace anything that shows any sign of
> >> >critter
> >> >gnawing.  You don't want to leave any critter eggs in there.
> >> >
> >> >Good Luck,  Jim Ellis
> >>
> >>
> >> Jim,
> >>
> >> Thanks for the information. We found the problem in several pianos -
> >> but only in Asian ones: Yamahas and the Korean Kohler & Campbells,
> >> all about 10 years old. No problems with American pianos - and we do
> >> have lots of much older Steinways, Baldwins, Wurlitzers and Everetts
> >> at the school. So we suspect that the critters are imported with the
> >> pianos from the source country and are not a local infestation. I
> >> hear that this is common. Since there are no wool furnishings around
> >> here - curtains, stuffed chairs, carpets, etc. - I don't see how
> >> these critters would spread from piano to piano. Add I don't see
> >> moths flying around. But then there is the theater department on the
> >> other end of the building - costume shop, wardrobe, prop storage...
> >> Hmm...  Maybe I should check with them about moth damage in their
> >> stuff...
> >>
> >> Yamaha sent us a bunch of replacement punchings free - but I hesitate
> >> to put them in pianos, since they might be the source of the
> >> infestation... Maybe fumigating them with or dipping them in one of
> >> the suggested substances before use might be a good idea?
> >>
> >> Israel Stein.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/20070513/8e2b43d3/attachment.html