Fred, Are you talking to yourself again? '-] David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "Jim Busby" <jim_busby at byu.edu> To: caut at ptg.org Received: 3/12/2009 7:20:10 AM Subject: Re: [CAUT] VSProfelt vs alcohol/water/softener vs steam >Hi Fred, >Silicon?? How do you know? I know that Yamaha uses some silicon (or at least used >to, according to LaRoy) in their flange bushing cloth. But isn't that for lubrication? >And if it indeed is silicon in the VS, wouldn't that be a death blow if someone used it >in the wrong place. i.e. anywhere near or closely connected to a tuning pin? If it is >true maybe a warning label is appropriate? >BTW, since you taught us the steaming method in addition to whatever, I've too >have found more stability than with any solution alone. >Regards, >Fred >-----Original Message----- >From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Fred >Sturm >Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 8:08 AM >To: caut University Technicians >Subject: [CAUT] VSProfelt vs alcohol/water/softener vs steam > I finally found the opportunity to do a comparison of VSProfelt with >an emulated mixture of alcohol, water, and fabric softener. I did >wippen cushions and key bushings on an upright. For the key bushings, >I also did a comparison with my usual steam method. > My emulated mixture was approximately 12% softener, 18% alcohol, and >70% water (the figures are a result of adding to a 5 mm line for >softener, 15 mm with 70% isolpropyl alcohol, and 40 with water - those >lines being cumulative. This was not utterly precise, just a >convenient guess, and then I did the calculations of percentage). I >think the VSProfelt is actually lower in alcohol and higher in >softener, and it also has silicon oil added in some formulation. VSP >is milkier looking than what I made, and it doesn't wick quite as fast >into the felt - hence my guess about more softener and less alcohol. > Results? A tie. VSP works quite nicely. So does a mix of alcohol, >water and softener. I couldn't tell any difference in the results >whatsoever, other than the lubricant in VSP. > The tie was between VSP and my emulation solution. Steam was >significantly faster, and slightly more effective - key bushings only >in this case. I think the more effective part came from the steam re- >expanding the wood where it might have been squeezed/eased previously. > For the bushings I had the keys in two Spurlock clamps. I applied the >liquids using a tapered, pointed paintbrush (in preference to a hypo >oiler, that takes longer because of the need to apply to each side >separately). I did one key clamp with liquids, the other with steam. >For the liquids, I alternated between sharps and naturals for the >different solutions, changing the alternation when I changed from >balance to front rail. The full steaming and ironing process took >considerably less time than applying the liquids and inserting the >cauls. > I'll send a separate post following with photos of the steam process. >Regards, >Fred Sturm >University of New Mexico >fssturm at unm.edu
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