Damper Head Refinishing

[Farrell]

Thanks for the input Mark and others. Several different approaches have been
identified to consider. I think often it will depend on what the current
status is of the old finish. I am currently doing a 70 year old piano that
had a natural finish on walnut (or something like that) heads. The finish
was not crackled, but just super dull. I have been so impressed with what I
have done with my buffing wheels on other materials, I thought "what the
heck, I'll try it" - actually I was going to hit them with a sanding wheel
to strip them, but then thought to try the buffer first. I hit them with
some red rouge and then with just a plain clean soft buffing wheel cloth.

About 12 seconds on each damper head with the two buffers - they look as
good or perhaps better than new. WOW! While I was at it I hit the wires also
and now have the wires polished and ready to go.

If the finish were not good, I would try one of these other great-sounding
suggestions. Maybe next time I will need to!

Yes I made a nice rack a while back. Made a rectangular frame,  have six or
so agraffes - some for single bass strings, some for bicords and some for
tricords. It works real nice as long as nobody bumps it.

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: <bases-loaded@juno.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2001 7:13 PM
Subject: Re: Damper Head Refinishing


> Hi Terry -
>
> I usually just just clean them and rub them with some polishing compound.
>  I would say 9 times out of ten that is sufficient for the pianos I have
> seen.  It is certainly beneficial to have them on a rack, all lined up
> for easy mass production work.  This would be especially true when you
> have to strip and refinish.
>
> Do you have a rack you put them on?
>
> Mark Potter
> bases-loaded@juno.com
>
> On Sun, 14 Jan 2001 22:27:43 -0500 "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> writes:
> > How do you folks refinish damper heads? They are such little buggers.
> > I have
> > just given them a coat of laquer in the past (no stripping), but I
> > am not
> > happy with the results. I can't imagine stripping & staining &
> > clearcoating
> > 60some of those little things.
> >
> > Wadda ya'll do? Thanks.
> >
> > Terry Farrell
> > Piano Tuning & Service
> > Tampa, Florida
> > mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
> >
>