<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1276" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: = #ffffff" bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Hi Wim:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I don't know if they sell it out your way, but there is a common, = cheap gas additive called "Heet" that is just basically pure Methanol.  Hope = this helps.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Don A. Gilmore<BR>Mechanical Engineer<BR>Kansas City</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=Wimblees@aol.com = href="mailto:Wimblees@aol.com">Wimblees@aol.com</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, December 19, 2003 = 9:11 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Touch weight</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 12/19/03 9:04:06 AM Central Standard Time, <A href="mailto:fssturm@unm.edu">fssturm@unm.edu</A> writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px = solid"><FONT face=Arial>The Steinway "Permafree II" action centers are = impregnated with a teflon <BR>solution, which lubricates and provides additional = firmness. We had quite a <BR>bit of discussion of this over the past couple = months, with respect to <BR>firmness versus friction.<BR>    No other manufacturer uses this method. Most others are pure, = <BR>"unadulterated" felt, some have graphite applied to one surface. All others <BR>will = respond to lubrication with Protek, and/or to shrinking/sizing with <BR>alcohol/water. Steinway will not respond to either, due to that <BR>impregnation with teflon. Pure methanol, a controlled substance, = is <BR>available (at least in colder climes) as gas line "de-freezer." = Eric <BR>Schandall says he thinks ethanol will work as = well.<BR>Regards,<BR>Fred Sturm</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV>When I was at Steinway last summer, I could have sworn Eric told = us to use Protek on the bushings. I will see if I can find methanol here in = "warm and sunny" Alabama. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Wim </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>