Where moth and rust doth corrupt(zero political content)

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

Ron N,

Oh, fellow fuzzy faced fallboard felt fancier.

>You got it used? You hadn't needed to look at the action until now?

I am in the two ring circus of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", and "let 
sleeping dogs lie".   I was not in on the selection of the instrument, 
(though I did have to rig it for the crane to put it in the second floor 
window).  I did go over the regulation on arrival, but it wasn't heavily 
used while it was in a voice studio.  Once it got to a practice room, what 
was left of the bushings wore quickly, and I got to see "the rest of the 
story".

>  How would you know what the condition of the back rail cloth was when 
> the piano
>came in?

Obviously, I didn't. - see above.

>Wouldn't it seem likely that the wippens and hammers/s/f were
>replaced because the moths had eaten them at the same time they ate the
>back rail cloth and whoever replaced the w/h/s/f, just didn't bother with
>anything under the keys?

Upon changing glasses and looking closer, I tend to agree with that 
assessment.  Front rail punchings were replaced, but I have to replace back 
rail cloths and balance bearings as well as rebush the keys.

>  If you don't actually see little wigglers in that back rail cloth, it's 
> likely old damage. I'd guess the perpetrators are long gone and the rest 
> of the felt is as safe as it can be in a practice room.

The underside of the back rail cloth looks like the underside of the 
doormat of a house on the shore.   Those eggs look like a fetal sand dune.

>Mothballs - which are camphor, used here for pianos and wardrobes, tied up
>in little bags, made of stocking material.
>
>Brian Lawson, RPT

Yes, I recognise the smell.  I was hoping that there might be something 
else besides it and a cedar sachet.

Conrad



Conrad Hoffsommer - Music Technician -mailto:hoffsoco@luther.edu
Luther College, 700 College Drive, Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045
Voice-(319)-387-1204  //  Fax (319)-387-1076(Dept.office)

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