<html> <body> Hi, Fred, At 06:26 PM 6/16/2006, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">On 6/16/06 2:11 PM, "Donald McKechnie" <dmckech@ithaca.edu> wrote: <dl> <dd>List, <dd>I just had a look at the gallon of lacquer I received from the good folks at Steinway two weeks ago. It is the good stuff! I was at the factory damper seminar and had a great discussion with Eric, Chad and Michael about their lacquer and other things. </dl>I was at Steinway in April, and we had lunch with a factory guy involved in the new process of pre-lacquering hammers (all hammer sets are now dipped prior to being sliced. In part this is to facilitate an even slicing job, in part to standardize the beginning state of all hammers and eliminate the variability of what is done later). He (the name slipped immediately from my mind, though his face I can recall with no problem) told us something quite interesting: that Steinway had changed lacquer suppliers within the last year (because the “water white” from the previous supplier was too yellow – note that the hammer guys take their lacquer from the case finishing folks, it is not ordered specifically for hammers from what they tell me), and the hammer lacquering folks weren’t aware of it. Changed from 12% solids to 24%. Once they found out, they changed from 3:1 to 5 or 6:1 dilution. (Obviously there was an intermediate period where hammers had “double strength” lacquer. I asked. He didn’t want to talk about it and was evasive).</blockquote> The factory has used this procedure for decades, varying the solution anywhere from 3:1 - 10:1, depending on who you spoke with during any given period, and, as you note, also depending on variation in whatever supply they were getting from the finish department, which is where they have historically taken voicing material.  <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">     Going back to Debra’s question, nitrocellulose can be found in a few places (as pointed out by several), though “water white” is quite hard to come by. I was quoted, I think, $30 - $40 per gallon, minimum four gallon case, special order, from my local Sherwin Williams “Industrial” store. The regular “retail” SW stores never heard of lacquer, let alone nitro. And the industrial couldn’t find water white either (standard clear was no problem), until I gave them the specific number I think I got a couple years ago from a post from Charles Ball (on caut list, check archives). But I believe that is purely an aesthetic thing. I hear no tonal difference using “off the shelf” clear gloss (Kadallac is the brand I have available), and the yellow tint is barely noticeable. I have never experimented with acrylic. I have theorized it would be more “plastic” and less brittle, hence would behave differently in response to needling. But that’s just theorizing. Sounds like others have found little difference there, either. Acrylic and nitro do use different thinners in some formulations. Generic lacquer thinner doesn’t work for the acrylic black lacquer I use in case touch up.</blockquote> The effect, as you note is largely aesthetic, and part of the lore years ago was that the move to lacquer for hardening hammers occurred as much because of the complaints from the marketing folks about the "discoloration" as it did from the loss of the older Wurzen-style felt (and, far enough back, the use of varnish for the finish). The acrylic piece has to do with the way in which the lacquer catalyzes, not because it contains plastics.  The difference in voicing is less noticeable than the difference between using finish lacquer as against using lacquer sanding sealer.  Again, as you note, one does have to be careful with which thinners one uses, the wrong ones can turn your lacquer into a useless ball. Best. Horace <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Regards, Fred Sturm University of New Mexico </blockquote></body> </html>