Hi all, Nope...the water is coming from the *air* the strings are cold...and below the *dew point* temperature. At 11:47 AM 10/15/97 -0400, you wrote: >Hi list, > This is just my opinion. As long as the piano is stored BELOW >water freezing point, the piano shouldn't be damaged. Why? because the >water in the wood won't evaporate therefore the wood won't shrink (is this >the right word?) However, if you store a piano right above the freezing >point, the climate will be very dry and the water content of the wood will >become very low without humility control. You mentioned that some piano >had rusty strings because water condensed on strings when piano was >brought to "normal" room temperature too rapidly (that's because wood and >metal have different heat velocity gradient). Obviousely, the water vapor >is coming from the wood! I actually believe it's better to store a piano >below freezing point (with sufficient water content) than to store a piano >in a regular home where humility changes _constantly_ because once the >piano is below freezing point, the water content of the wood NEVER >changes --> the best humility control you can possibly have (well, >almost)! It's a good idea to bring the temperature back gradualy. Treat >it like your car's engine, don't heat up your car's engine too fast in >winter (as recommented by virtualy all engine builders). As a rule of >dumb, always make sure the wood has sufficient water content before >"freezing" (it should). > >Kuang > >On Wed, 15 Oct 1997 kitster@Polarnet.com wrote: > >> I was always told cold storage would damage a piano. My own experiences >> over the last 5 or 10 years have caused me to have some doubt about that. >> >> I service pianos annually that spend about 5 months a year in below >> freezing conditions, with temps as low as -60 F. Of course at these temps >> there is NO humidity. I recently was hired by a customer to look over a >> slightly used Kawai grand that a local dealer admitted to me had spent the >> winter in cold storage. >> >> In none of the cases mentioned above have I found any damage at all. And I >> really looked for it. Sevaral of the pianos are old uprights that have >> been going through this cycle for 20+ years. Any gradual damage (failing >> glue joints, delaminations, etc) should have shown itself by now. I have >> no proof of it but believe that the gradual cool down and warm up of normal >> seasonal changes protects cold stored pianos. I have seen rust on strings >> of pianos warmed up too quickly when moisture condenses on metal parts. I >> always tell customers to warm up pianos gradually if they need to store >> them cold. >> >> Just my opinion, of course. >> >> Kit Cleworth >> Fairbanks, Alaska >> >> >> >Greetings PTG List, >> > Let me first say that I have been privileged to be able to >> >read through this list for a few weeks, now. I have learned so >> >very much. I am a tuning student, who has had some training at >> >the Piano Hospital and Training Center in Vancouver Washington, >> >so, like all the rest of you, I am always seeking for answers. >> > I am in an unacontrollable situation with regards to my >> >Yamaha console. I am going to have to leave my piano in an >> >unheated trailer for about one month. The piano is ten years' >> >old, and I have kept it in the best shape with regard to tuning >> >and regulation as I can. >> > What do you think might happen structurally? The >> >temperatures will be around freezing in a dry building, where >> >there is fairly low humidity? >> > Any knowledgeable comments would be greatly appreciated. >> > Again, I want to say how thankful to all of you I am to be >> >able to listen in to all of your discussions. >> > Happy tuning. >> > Sincerely, >> > Vinny Samarco >> > >> > >> > >> > > Regards, Don Rose (drose@dlcwest.com)
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