Lacquer for hammers

[Richard Brekne]

The fastest drying stuff I know of is flake shellack in 96% denatured alcohol.
Still you will have to wait a couple hours to get a real idea of the results.
Also, while this stuff works fine enough, it will discolour the hammer felt a
bit. Not so bad if you like an off white yellowish kinda colour, but it doesnt
apeal to just everyone.

Best thing for it in the end no matter what you use, is to count on two visits
when useing any kinda laquer to voice. I dont think there is any way around
that.

Lance Lafargue wrote:

> Thanks to Richard, David, and Ed,
> Great help.
> ANOTHER QUESTION ON THIS.......
> Anyone use Sanding sealer and acetone?  I understand that after 3-4 hours
> the hammer is 85-90% as hard as it will be, where as the lacquer in thinner
> changes more after you leave and initially takes longer to dry (overnight).
> The acetone flashes off faster.  You can help it along with a hair drier.
> Any thoughts on these techniques???
> P.S.  I am often voicing Abel hammers vs. Steinway hammers.  Abel being cold
> pressed and Steinway being hot??  I dunno.... Please ecudate me....Thanks
> Lance Lafargue, RPT
> Mandeville, LA
> New Orleans Chapter
> lafargue@iamerica.net
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
> Of A440A@AOL.COM
> Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2000 8:07 AM
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Lacquer for hammers
>
>  Greetings,
> << > 3) What kind of bottle do you use?
>
>    I use an eye dropper.
>
> >    How long must it dry?
>
>   The lacquer needs a day to show most of what you have done.
>
> >    Do you ever put it on the strike point?
>
>   Oh yes!  Ever heard a country studio's piano?  they like it just short of
> sounding like glass.
>
> >    What ratio?  4:1? 5:1?
>
>    The ratio determines how the stuff penetrates.  a glob of straight
> lacquer
> on the shoulder will pretty much just sit there.  A dropper of straight
> thinner will just about penetrate to the core,  so there is a qualitive
> difference between four drops of 4:1 vs eight drops of 8:1.  The thinner mix
> will harden more of the hammer to a lesser degree, the thicker will harden
> it
> a lot but closer to the surface.
>      In my work, a real soft hammer that has to project a lot will get a
> large dose of dilute mix first, and then after a day or so I can decide if
> it
> needs it again, or whether a stronger strength on the shoulders will add the
> needed support.  There has got to be some non-linear resilence between the
> hammer's contact point and the underfelt/core.  How this resistance is
> managed depends not only on how much lacquer there is, but where!
>     My sources tell me that voicers in the Steinway factory, (which uses
> some
> of the softest hammer felt I have seen) just about drench the hammers to
> start with, then the next day beginning the real voicing, which includes
> needling down hammers that got too much hardener or adding more if needed.
> I
> believe that their progression is similar to Gina's, but others will
> probably
> have additional details. (I have been there twice, and saw slightly
> different
> approaches each time)
> Regards,
> Ed Foote RPT

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway