Dampp-Chasers & Dryness

[Tony Caught]

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Hi List

One of the pianos that I look after is a Yamaha CF grand that is in =
Alice Springs.

Alice is in the centre of Australia and at times the rain does not fall =
for years, well it doesn't rain very much at all. Thus the humidity is =
way down.

      Jan-96 Feb-96 Mar-96 Apr-96 May-96 Jun-96=20
      6 6 6 7 10 10=20


      Jul-96 Aug-96 Sep-96 Oct-96 Nov-96 Dec-96=20
      9 8 7 6 5 6=20


The bottom figure represents the moisture content of pine timber 1/2" =
thick outside under cover.

Most of the town has similar readings inside there houses that =
correspond with these figures.

Somewhere I have the figures for temp and humidity for these months but =
at present I can't locate them.  If anyone wants them desperately, I =
will try to find them.

The average Moisture content of pine in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney (the =
southern parts of Australia) is 15 % so you can see that Alice Spring is =
dry.

Now for the story.

This piano has been over the last 10 years, quite a problem, the tuning =
pins are loose,(some wouldn't hold without the little jiggle of the =
hammer) action is too free, and tone has that crispy sound to it.  There =
was a fine buzz you can hear when you are tuning like a loose screw or =
something and in general I have been worried that the dryness is causing =
irreparable damage to the belly structure.  In fact the pin holding the =
Una-corda bar fell out whilst the piano was being played. (embarrassing =
situation)

Eventually the management allowed me to fit a double tank complete =
system (set at 42%) to the piano.  This was 6 months ago. The piano was =
tuned at that time.=20

Three months later the piano had risen in pitch by 5 cents across the =
entire piano. I noticed very little difference in the torque of the =
pins.

I have just retuned the piano and noticed the pitch had once again risen =
by 5 cents but this time pins that were only just holding where holding =
much better.  The buss sound has decreased and the action has tightened =
to a point that I am now going to adjust the rep. springs on my next =
visit.

After the concert finished, I touched up the piano only to a minor =
degree and then for the first time fitted a cover to the piano that =
hangs down to the floor. the cover is made from the same material as the =
waterproof covers on the back of utilities (Light trucks).  This cover =
has a lining of softer material.

It will be interesting to see the results over the next few months.

Regards

Tony Caught ICPTG
Australia
caute@optusnet.com.au


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