[CAUT] Critter-damaged punchings

[Barbara Richmond]

OK, my experience in shopping for a microwave was that on the showroom 
floor, one never turned the oven on without a cup of water in it.  I just 
looked on the net for information, but only saw a statement that "The oven 
should only be run with a load of water or food."  The site didn't define 
food, though.  ;-)

I think moisture is the key here.  Without it the oven might behave as 
though it's empty and then arcing or sparking could be a problem.

br


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ed Sutton" <ed440 at mindspring.com>
To: "Barbara Richmond" <piano57 at insightbb.com>; "College and University 
Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 9:54 PM
Subject: Re: [PHISH] Re: [CAUT] Critter-damaged punchings


> 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.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>