<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <html><head><style type="text/css"></style><title>RE: Lacquering Hammers Wait to Play On?</title></head><body> <blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Arial" size="-1" color="#0000FF">I recently asked a related question (how to speed the prep of new Steinways) and was told to use lacquer with<b> Acetone instead of lacquer thinner</b> to speed the drying process. <i> True?  Drawbacks?</i></font></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Arial" size="-1" color="#0000FF">P.S.   I find the use of keytops/acetone only, noisier, lacquer is better.  Also, acetone dries in a couple of hours, lacquer thinner, over night and the lacquer solids do get a bit harder over time. </font></blockquote> <div><br> <br> <br> </div> <blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote> <div>I am presently using lacquer that we get from Walter Wurdack, Inc.  They are the suppliers for Steinway. <br> 4977 Fyler Ave.<br> St Louis MO  63139<br> <br> 314/351-6600<br> <br> #A-625 Clear Topcoat 1/4 gal<br> #T-235 Thinner  1/4 gallon<br> <br> Mix the lacquer in an 8 oz beauty supply hair color bottle, about 2 oz lacquer and the rest lacquer thinner.<br> </div> <div>Apply to raw Steinway hammers by placing the nozzle hard against the shoulder and squeezing the bottle until the felt changes color almost all the way to the strike point (wet wool is a little darker).  It will take the whole bottle the first time.  Be sure to wear your respirator and leave this to the end of the day so you can leave the room when your done. Let dry overnight.</div> <div><br> Listen the the hammers and mark for more juice where needed.  You have to find your own way from this point, but the same mix is applied very sparingly; close enough to the strike point but not right on top of it, with an eye dropper only say three drops on each side of each hammer.  If you are in a hurry, it doesn't hurt to switch to acetone and keytops for this part. <br> <br> Acetone alone has such a fast evaporation rate that it pulls the resin along with it towards the surface where it evaporates.  That's why there is a hard shell left on the sides of the hammers that are juiced.  You windup with a hammer that is harder on the outside than on the inside, which exactly opposite of what you want.  A slower evaporation rate means the disbursement of resin (acrylic or nitrocellulose) will be more even.<br> <br> I have an article which was published in the AIC Journal (American Institute of Conservators), which has scanning electron microscope photos of wood treated with another polymer dissolved in acetone.  Unequal distribution of the polymer was discovered and the evaporation rate of the acetone was thought to be the reason.  I think this applies.<br> <br> Ken Eschete</div> <div>Northwestern Univ.</div> <div>k-eschete@northwestern.edu</div> <div>-- <br> Kenneth Eschete<br> Director of Keyboard Maintenance        <span ></span>    Phone: 847/467-6970<br> Northwestern University School of Music<x-tab>        </x-tab>    FAX: 847/491-5260 <x-tab>  </x-tab><x-tab>        </x-tab><x-tab>        </x-tab><x-tab>        </x-tab><x-tab>        </x-tab>    711 Elgin Rd.; Evanston, Il 60208 <br>  <br>  EMAIL: k-eschete@northwestern.edu<br> </div> </body> </html>