Avery; There are numerous schools of thought on liquid, sic "chemical", hardeners. Two of the schools are laquer and acetone/keytops. Each of these have their advantages and their disadvantages. Perhaps thhis would be a good time to review each. 1. Laquer w/thinner; this is a rather traditional treatment and has served its purpose for many years and in many different situations. This combination forms a solution when mixed. advantages: a. very easy to apply in the areas desired. b. percentages can be changed quickly and easily. c. amount applied can be readily controlled. d. due to relatively even absorbtion subsequent hammer filings provide a relatively even voicing to work with. disadvantages: a. slow drying/curing time causing change of tone over a long period of time. b. can cause "tinniness/thinness if overdone. c. very dependent on percentage of laquer to thinner ratio. d. not a reccomended last second cure for tonal problems right before a concert/performance. 2. Laquer w/acetone ; same as above but with faster drying/curing time and is more amenable to last second voicing problems. 3. Keytop w/acetone; not as traditional as laquer but useful nontheless. This combination forms a suspension when mixed. advantages; a. easily applied on the areas desired. b. amount applied can be readily controlled. c. relatively fast drying/curing time making this an excellent choice for those last minute situations. disadvantages: a. takes longer to change percentages in a given mixture. b. due to being a suspension rather than a solution, not as evenly absorbed as some other mixtures. c. due to relative uneven absorbtion subsequent hammer filings provide more of a voicing challenge. Avery these are just my thoughts and opinons and I am quite certain that there are others who have differing thoughts and opinions. I am not touting one system over another, just trying to point out some of the characteristics of each. Jim Bryant (FL)
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC