further clarification on query

[Les Smith]

On Wed, 11 Feb 1998 JIMRPT@aol.com wrote:

> 
> In a message dated 2/11/98 9:50:41 PM, pianoman@inlink.com wrote:
> 
> <<"with no humidity excesses.">>
> James;
>  Verdegris is an equal opportunity reaction in that it shows up on the cold,
> dry plains of Alberta as well as the swamps of Louisiana and the heartland of
> the US as in say.....St. Louis ?? :-)  It has been compared to arthiritis in
> that it doesn't just pop up all of a sudden, it forms over a long period of
> time.
> Jim Bryant (FL)
> 

Just to clarify the clarification. I believe I said in my post that high
humidity could compound the problem, not that it was the cause of the
Verdigris, itself. Indeed, high humidity by itself, with no evidence of
Verdigris present, can cause sluggish action centers. So there might be
two factors at work here, instead of just one. The only way to tell for
sure is to pull the action and examine the action centers, themselves.
It's unlikely, however, that such a condition developed "overnight".
I would think that the problem would have first manifested itself in
the high treble-- and, hence, lightest weight-- hammers some time ago.
In fact that's one of the first things you look for in an older Stein-
way, because the problem is so common. At any rate, Verdigris isn't
called "the greenies" for nothing. If it's present, you'll find it.
Check the sides of the flanges at the bushing/centerpin for a dark green
waxy substance. Also check the bottom of the flange and action rail.
Rebushing/repinning the old flanges, or just replacing the old flanges
with new, is an option short of replacing the entire action, assuming
the action centers (bird's-eyes) of the other old parts you're going to
reuse can be thoroughly flushed and cleaned out of (hopefully) all traces
of the green stuff.For the flushing/cleaning you have several alternatives
to choose from, among them: alcohol and water; Protek; Renewsit (if you
can still find it); silicone and naptha; and silicone, naptha AND Protek,
and even acetone, to name just a few!!!! BTW, when using this stuff, do so
with adequate ventilation. When you're finished with the job, you'd
probably like to still be around to pick up that big check due you! As
you can see, this problem has been around for a while, and many different
approaches have been tried. The success of any given approach will depend
upon just how severe a case of Verdigris you have. An approach that will
work with a relatively mild case, might not cut it with a more severe
case. You problem will fall between the two extremes of maybe just hav-
ing to treat the action centers with Protek (don't you wish) to having
to replace the entire action. Obviously this broad expanse of possi-
bilities means that giving a firm estimate on the job is exceedingly
precarious  until you know exactly what you're up against. One hint
is that if you  encounter sluggish repetition levers, too, you're
likely looking at a maxxed-out case. One comment I'll make on verdigris
is that it's a very common problem on older Steinways. Once you become
accustomed to dealing with it, you'll find that it can become a HUGE 
money-maker for you, all by itself. The work pays very well. If you make
your living primarily by doing tuning and repair work in people's
homes, constantly on the go all the time, you may come to appreciate
the opportunity to do work in your shop at home. In time, you'll
probably discover that you can use your time more effectively and more
profitably, by doing shop-work such as this. Even if the Steinway you're
working on isn't yet ready for a conplete rebuild (and maybe YOU aren't
quite ready, either!), the chances are that if the piano is old enough
to have a serious verdigris problem, it also probably is in need of
a new set of hammers and a complete regulation, too. The dollars readily
begin to add up in work of this kind. Which is one reason you frequently
hear me speak about constantly trying to upgrade the quality of the in-
struments you work on. It eventually leads to work like this. And the
owners of such instruments will likely refer you to other owners of
similar-quality pianos. You've probably often heard someone say "Work
smarter, not harder". Such thinking is for losers. The idea is to work
smart AND hard! So while some may view Verdigris as a difficult problem
to deal with, you should look upon it as an opportunity to expand your
business, your income and your professional standing. You can become a
tech who specializes in old Steinways. No kidding. It's a hell of a
reputation to have. 

Les Smith
lessmith@buffnet.net