[CAUT] [PHISH] Re: Critter-damaged punchings

[Ed Sutton]

Barb-

I don't know.

Ed
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barbara Richmond" <piano57 at insightbb.com>
To: "Ed Sutton" <ed440 at mindspring.com>; "College and University Technicians" 
<caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 10:30 PM
Subject: [PHISH] Re: [CAUT] Critter-damaged punchings


> Ed,
>
> Maybe I've misunderstood all these years, but aren't you supposed to have 
> something with some form of liquid/moisture in a microwave when running it 
> or it (the appliance) might be damaged?  Would potential critter eggs 
> supply enough moisture?
>
> Barbara Richmond
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ed Sutton" <ed440 at mindspring.com>
> To: "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
> Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 12:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Critter-damaged punchings
>
>
>> 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.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>