> Date: Sat, 14 Mar 1998 09:39:03 -0600 > From: Paul Birsching <leadfoot@netnet.net> > To: pianotech@ptg.org > Subject: Re: Juice du Jour (Lubricants for Action Centers) > Reply-to: pianotech@ptg.org My problem with alcohol/water is I am never sure if the centers will be loose when I'm done, i.e. having to repin. Therefore I don't use it anymore and use Protek or repin. I have a number of Steinway's with vertigri that Protek can help but of course can't cure. I lube each service and someday we will replace parts! David ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA > JIMRPT wrote: > > > > In a message dated 3/13/98 1:38:01 AM, drose@dlcwest.com wrote: > > > > <<If we are trying to get the flange to swell then *why* are we applying the > > water on the bushing? And if all you want to do is *press* the felt, why > > not just use dry heat!>> > > > > Don; > > Unless the person doing the treatment is a lot more dexterious and precise > > than I am, it is unlikely that they could wet the "bushing" and not the wood > > surrounding the bushing also. In the event that one succeeded this feat of > > ledgerdemain, :-), it would have been for nought, as moisture applied to the > > "bushing" will readily wick into the wood, away from the bushing. This > > process is what causes the swelling I am hunting for when treating an action. > > If all I were hunting for were "felt pressing" I suppose the application of > > dry heat would work, but I don't know I've never tried it. > > > > The first time I had ever been told about treating an action in this manner > > was from Aubrey Willis. I was working in My Uncle's shop trying to regulate an > > upright and having difficulty because of sluggishness in the action. Aubrey > > had stopped by, to have lunch with my Aunt and Uncle, and saw me struggling > > with this old beast. He said he could make it work by using "a bit of the > > hair of the dog" and told me to take the action out of the piano and set it on > > a set of sawhorses. Well I did, and he mixed this concoction of alcohol and > > water, and started squirting all the action centers while I stood there > > horrified that 'He' was playing a joke on me and my Uncle, and "how am I going > > to explain this to Uncle Smitty"? thoughts flashing through my head. But I > > was 16 or 17 and he was.......well he was > > Aubrey :-). There was a swing up aluminum door on the shop and Aubrey put > > this action up on top of the door in the sunshine just as My Uncle drove in > > the driveway. During lunch he told of the troubles I was having regulating > > that action and Uncle Smitty said "well we'll treat it after lunch" and > > Aubrey said that "Jim had already done it" ! See, there he was blaming > > ruining that action on me!!! > > Well to shorten the story I took down the action after lunch, stuck it in > > the piano, and it worked just fine. (after much screw tightening) Thank you > > Aubrey ! > > > > <<"The usual denaturing agent in alcohol is oil. I am not sure about the > > rubbing alcohol">> > > > > Don I think the opposite is true re: > > de-na-tured alcohol (de-na-chúrd) n. > > Ethyl alcohol to which a poisonous substance, such as acetone or methanol, has > > been added to make it unfit for consumption. > > > > And that Rubbing alcohol has the oil, of some description, added to it > > but............. I have been far off target before. :-) > > JIm Bryant (FL) > I recently dried an action that resided near a Lake Michigan. The > results were less than stellar, as the moisture soon returned. More > recently, I was introduced to water and alcohol on an 1900's Steinway > upright action that had 6 or 8 grams of friction in the jack. A good > soaking and the next day the friction had dropped to one gram with no > loss of integrity of fit. Whatever is really happening, I know which > solution works. > >
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