too stiff

[Tom Servinsky]

Z,
It is my understanding that your hypothesis is probably correct: felt was
impregnated or dipped in Mutton talc ( I think that's the spelling of
it....).  I had this same conversation with one of the felt manufacturers
several years ago,  trying to understand why verdigris had the enviorment to
grow in the first place.
According to the manufacturer, it's not simply the felt/brass interaction as
it's the additive that the felt was dipped into which caused the problems.
The additive acted as the catalyst to react with the brass which caused the
verdigris.
Once the practice of impregnating the felt was stopped, so stopped the
verdigris.
One last note....with regards to the heat gun, have you ever seriously given
the flanges of good heating with the heat gun. Keeping the gun moving you
can continue to heat the parts to an increasing hot level without burning
the wood.  I'm not sure if it's the verdigris which has a strong volatility
or maybe it's the years of center pin solutions in the flange, but with an
intense heating of the flanges a blue ploom of smoke will poof up. After the
smoke occurs the flanges become extremely free and the verdigris appears to
be less noticeable.  My experience with this treatment has demonstrate rated
that verdigris can burned off off temporarily ( enough) to have relatively
predictable flange correction for about a year. Followed by  a dose of
Protek actions can remain useable.
Tom Servinsky,RPT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Z! Reinhardt" <diskladame@provide.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2001 10:24 AM
Subject: Re: too stiff


> I suspect that the entire action parts (whippens, shanks/flanges) were
> dipped into a solution before installing on the rails.  If that is the
case,
> I should think when only the bushings are replaced, it is only a matter of
> time before that stuff in the wood leaches into the new bushings to
produce
> the old problems.
>
> Last year I came to a Steinway L that was well loaded with verdigris.  The
> wood in the action parts didn't feel as dry as I might expect for older,
> possibly brittle parts.  It was one of those rare days when I had my heat
> gun with me, so I removed a hammer, and passed the flange very briefly in
> front of the heat gun.  Indeed, it looked wet all over, if only for an
> instant.  So, I hit it a little harder with the heat, and nothing would
> evaporate.  Oh well ... but it does explain why replacing just the
bushings
> is not a permanent fix.
>
> Z! Reinhardt  RPT
> Ann Arbor  MI
> diskladame@provide.net
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2001 11:23 PM
> Subject: Re: too stiff
>
>
> Dale:
>
> Why wouldn't rebushing work?  The verdigris, in my experience doesn't
> permeate the wood surrounding it.  The question there is whether or not it
> is a practical solution.  My answer has generally been no.
>
> David Love
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Erwinpiano" <Erwinpiano@email.msn.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: September 19, 2001 8:10 PM
> Subject: Re: too stiff
>
>
> >   Dear List
> >  Nothing works for verdigris long term. Not protek ,not rebushing, not
> > shrinking, silicine oil,not mineral oil ,snake oil or 30 weight motor
oil.
> > Been down that dead end road. Temporary solutions at best.
> >
> >       Dale Erwin
> >
>
>