I hope I'm not repeating the obvious, but I may have missed some posts. Horace's link to the MSDS for Acetic Acid is alarming, but it's usually diluted with weaker stuff, like water. Here's a plainer English description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetic_acid Acetic acid is the active ingredient in table vinegar. It is completely soluble (miscible) in water, ethanol, acetone, toluene, and others. It is used in the darkroom as a stop bath, can remove scale from kettles, and can be used to neutralize the sting of the box jellyfish. I've used vinegar to soften glue in key bushings, and it worked somewhat better than plain water, but only as an aid prior to the real work of loosening with steam. Stronger concentrations than vinegar can be very dangerous or deadly, but with care, I would think a useful concentration could be mixed up that would remove glue rather effectively. Shades of "chemistry set" ;-) -Mark Schecter ed440 at mindspring.com wrote: > I have three bottles of acetic acid which were given to me by a piano > technician who had been given them by a piano technician who said > piano technicians used to use this stuff to melt glue. > > I'll be glad to give them to any piano technician who wants to pay > for the shipping!!! > > Ed S. ;-) > > -----Original Message----- >> From: Joseph Garrett <joegarrett at earthlink.net> Sent: Aug 26, 2006 >> 8:18 PM To: Horace Greeley <hgreeley at stanford.edu>, >> ed440 at mindspring.com, Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> Subject: >> Re: Acetic Acid, Glacial >> >> Nasty, Nasty stuff! EEEEOOOOWWWW! (told ya so<G>) >> >> Joseph Garrett, R.P.T. Captain, Tool Police Squares R I >> >> >>> [Original Message] From: Horace Greeley <hgreeley at stanford.edu> >>> To: <ed440 at mindspring.com>; Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> >>> Cc: <joegarrett at earthlink.net> Date: 8/26/2006 4:58:32 PM >>> Subject: Re: Acetic Acid, Glacial >>> >>> >>> >>> Ed, Joe, >>> >>> Here is a link to one company's MSDS (Materials Safety Data >>> Sheet) on Glacial Acetic Acid: >>> >>> http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/a0326.htm >>> >>> I do not think I have ever heard this mentioned as a glue >>> softener >> before. >>> If I remember correctly, it is largely used as an etching agent. >>> >>> Best. >>> >>> Horace >>> >>> >>> Quoting ed440 at mindspring.com: >>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Joe- Maybe that's why I'm the third person to own it. (At least >>>> I know better than to accept free pianos!) Thanks! Ed >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- From: Joseph Garrett Sent: Aug 26, >>>> 2006 6:57 PM To: pianotech Subject: Re: Acetic Acid, Glacial >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Ed asked: "I have inherited several bottles of Acetic Acid, >>>> Glacial. Can anyone instruct me in the safe use of this as glue >>>> softener? Is it good for anything in piano work, or too >>>> dangerous?" Thanks! >>>> >>>> Ed, That stuff does little or nothing to soften glue. It is >>>> Very Dangerous >> to >>>> your health and physical being. My advice is to take it to a >>>> toxic disposal depot ASAP. >>>> >>>> >>>> Joseph Garrett, R.P.T. Captain, Tool Police Squares R I >>>> >>>> >>>> >> > >
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