Fred, I second the vote for lubricating key bushings with Teflon. The gunk that seems to find its way onto finished front and center rail pins, weather from a chemical in the cloth, or from the pins reaction to atmosphere, can cause a nasty drag...slowing up and down travel of the key, and making a glissando flesh eating to the finger tops. The powered Teflon coats this film, and seems to be long lasting. Simple...easy....and it works. Dan On Nov 6, 2008, at 4:37 PM, Fred Sturm wrote: > A couple words of caution might be in order. This is not a > "magic formula." The swelling of the felt ("re-fluffing" it) is due to > the action of water content in the formula. The alcohol in the formula > helps the water penetrate. In use for action centers, this is > precisely the same as using a formula of water and alcohol, except > that we don't know the proportions in VS Profelt (and the Profelt has > some lubrication function - but the bigger result will be due to > "shrinking of felt" as in simply applying a formula of alcohol and > water). > This is not meant to discourage the use of Profelt, simply to > urge that it be used "with eyes wide open." I do realize that it is > different from just alcohol and water in that it has a lubricant, and > apparently some kind of conditioner. Silicone lubricant is probably > effective and probably has no negative side effects in this > application. Whatever may be used as a conditioner may possibly have > side effects in some situations. > Re-swelling of felt in itself is a reversal of the packing due > to wear. However, it can be overdone. Felted cloths, especially > bushing cloth, have been made dense with considerable trouble, > processing including heat and pressure. It is quite possible to > "over-reverse" and end up with a felt that is less dense than it was > originally. Using cauls for key bushings is a somewhat effective way > of preventing this. For wippen cushions and the like, cauls aren't an > option. > Personally, I find the use of heat and pressure (a clothes iron or > heated cauls) is a good way to try to keep the felt in a firmly packed > condition (which means the regulation will be more stable). > One thing that re-swelling felt doesn't do is reverse wear. Fibers > that have been broken down and worn away are gone. Lubrication of new > materials and parts is the best way to have long lasting parts. In > fact, that is one of the claims of VS Profelt: use it on new felt so > that its lubrication properties will prolong life and improve > function. It may be effective in that way. I will find out when I try > some. Meanwhile, I put my money on powdered teflon and other, more > concentrated lubricants. > Regards, > Fred Sturm > University of New Mexico > fssturm at unm.edu > > > > On Nov 6, 2008, at 3:17 PM, Paul T Williams wrote: > >> Hi Barbara, >> >> I would also like to know about VSP for center pin bushings! I have >> only used it for key bushings and wip cushions. Didn't do quite as >> good a job on the wip cushions, but did help...the cushions were >> really old and badly dented. Probably should have replaced, but...ya >> know...budget stuff. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 3217 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://ptg.org/pipermail/caut_ptg.org/attachments/20081106/6d0354b3/attachment.bin
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