<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: [CAUT] Bushing cloth thickness</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> On 7/31/07 2:27 PM, "A440A@aol.com" <A440A@aol.com> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE> When bushing a Steinway front mortise, I use the cloth (.53-.055") and a caul that is .162" in the front rail. </BLOCKQUOTE>Interesting. Obviously a very different approach from mine. You are putting two pieces of .053” cloth into the hole with a .162” caul, while I am putting two pieces of .038” cloth into the same hole (well, we don’t know that, since the wood could be compressed or have some splinters gone, but let’s assume not) with a .149” caul. I don’t compress the felt much at all. I would say you are compressing the felt a lot, and expecting it to stay compressed quite a bit. <BLOCKQUOTE> I hope the felt quality of the Pianotek material is good, since I just rebushed 7 Yamaha pianos that were totally worn out after 6 years in the practise rooms.    </BLOCKQUOTE>Pianotek sells Hainesworth cloth, same felt that Steinway and Renner use to the best of my knowledge (both did last I asked). If there is any other quality bushing felt out there available to us techs, I’d like to know about it. Longevity is mostly a function of lubrication and polish, in my experience. I apply powdered teflon liberally to one side of the cloth, and polish and lube pins very well, replacing any iffy ones. Results seem very good. Applying Prolube to bushings of new pianos of any brand seems to help longevity a lot. Raw, untreated bushings don’t last well, and they abrade the pins. Regards, Fred Sturm University of New Mexico </BODY> </HTML>