<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.5450.4" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="WORD-WRAP: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space"> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080>Fred,</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080>I would like to disagree a little with both descriptions of the dry McLube.  The dried McLube 444 residue which I have seen has not seemed not quite as hard as you have described it.  What I have seen is somewhat waxy and crumbly, like cool paraffin wax, but neither gummy no hard as plastic.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080>My experience has been that heavy, repeated application to key pins can cause the felt to become compacted and hard.  This is not from a single application, mind you - the only time I have personally seen this problem was in a piano that was getting a treatment each month by a tuner who was trying to prevent bushing wear in a crazily heavily used instrument.  After about a year, the bushings seemed worn out because the keys had become loose and noisy.  On close inspection, though, the bushings were not worn, but were compacted and waxy feeling.  After a quick steam application and inserting sized cauls, the keys were good as new.  So the McLube seems to have prevented wear, but the bushing was so hard and compressed that it seemed worn out anyway.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080>I admit that this was an extreme case, so it does not mean that McLube should never be used on key pins.  I only warn people not to get too extreme - an application every few years should be no problem at all.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080>I like the performance aspect of McLube 444 on key pins as well - it's wonderfully slippery stuff.  The main difference between other things like TFL-50 and Slide All is that these other ones leave a powder when the liquid dries, rather than the hard waxy coating.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080>I purchased a gallon of liquid McLube here at Kawai, and also a gallon of the solvent.  Using Schaff's shoe-dauber bottles, you can refill them indefinitely after a quick rinse with the solvent.  This cuts way down on the smell of using the aerosol can of McLube.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080>My favorite application for McLube is keyframes and key beds.  It seems to seal the wood nicely, and makes them quiet and much nicer to slide the actions in and out during voicing.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080>Don Mannino</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=589512822-03082006><FONT color=#000080></FONT></SPAN> </DIV><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left> <HR tabIndex=-1> <FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Fred Sturm<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, August 03, 2006 3:06 PM<BR><B>To:</B> College and University Technicians<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [CAUT] Steinway Technical<BR></FONT><BR></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> <DIV>On Aug 3, 2006, at 12:52 PM, Jeff Tanner wrote:</DIV><BR class=Apple-interchange-newline> <BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face=Helvetica size=3>Well, I don't use it and never have.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space>  </SPAN>I've always just been leery of it, because every lubricant I've ever used that goes on wet, eventually gets tacky with age, and I believe I've heard other technicians testify that they've had similar results using wet lubricants like McLube and Protek on pins.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>Hi Jeff,<BR> <DIV><SPAN class=Apple-tab-span style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></SPAN>Mclube definitely won't get tacky with age or leave a gummy residue. The wet portion is purely a vehicle, and it flashes off rapidly, leaving a thin coating. You can see that happen when you apply it. I put some in a 1 oz hypo oiler from Schaff (with the red, rubber cap for the needle), thinking I'd like to carry some around with me rather than constantly be going back to the shop for it. I had had good luck with acetone/keytop staying in those hypos without undue evaporation, but the McLube was evaporated away in a very short time (maybe I didn't have the lid quite tight enough). Anyway, what was left in the bottom was a mm or so of hard, white substance, very similar to what I scavenged as a sample from the Steinway vats where they dip flanges. Inert, slippery, no way it would ever be gummy. Hard, semi-brittle plastic is how I would describe it.</DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=Apple-tab-span style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></SPAN>I am sold on McLube for keypins, capstans, glides, keyframe and keybed friction points, keyframe return spring, damper wires, under side of damper underlevers, etc, etc. Great stuff, and well worth the wee bit of time it takes to apply with a rag or a brush. Lasts well, doesn't attract any dirt. Not good stuff to be inhaling all the time, but otherwise, I love it. I won't vouch the same for Protek CPL or for ProLube, though I do use both all the time with generally good results.<BR> <DIV> <DIV>Regards,</DIV> <DIV>Fred Sturm</DIV> <DIV>University of New Mexico</DIV> <DIV><A href="mailto:fssturm@unm.edu">fssturm@unm.edu</A></DIV> <DIV><BR class=khtml-block-placeholder></DIV></DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><BR class=khtml-block-placeholder></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>