The Swelling Pin hole Conundrum

[Delwin D Fandrich]

JIMRPT@aol.com wrote:

> List;
>  In the conversation re: swelling pin hole conundrum, we need to keep in mind
> that what we are talking about is piano keys.  We are not speaking of
> slabs/pieces of wood or other iterations of the substance.  In addition we
> are only wetting the areas immediately adjacent to the hole not the entire
> key.
>   Typically it has been my experience that when I remove bushings the area
> immediately adjacent to the hole is dampened ,and not the enitre key. Since
> the area around the hole remains drier than the hole itself the effect is
> that the hole will get smaller. This being due to the fact that wood will
> swell in the direction of least resistance (my guess).
>   If we were to take Dels experiment and only moistened/wet the area
> immediately adjacent to the hole, what would be the effect on the hole size?
>  I think the hole would be smaller, but that is my guess only.  Del ?  All
> bets are off though if you take the set of keys into the shower with you :-)
> Jim Bryant (FL)

Jim,

Yes, you have the idea. If you wet only the wood around the hole -- as with removing key bushings or glue-sizing the hole --
it will swell and expand following the path of least resistance. The hole will get smaller. However, if the entire key takes
on moisture (as with changes in the relative humidity due to seasonal variations) the hole will get larger.

This is what the experiment is intended to prove if it is carried out correctly.

You just managed to say it in a somewhat more lucid manner.

-- ddf