Hi Gorden, did you wear a mask when you cleaned this piano? I'm suprised I didn't get sick when I took apart a piano my neighbor gave me to use as a practice piano, I found a nest and a dead mouse in it under the keys, so decayed, but I cleaned the wood with clorox clean up. I've gotten rid of the piano after almost a year. I had to saw off the front so I could get it out of the house. Scott helped me move it in. I still have the action. It was an old stark piano. Marshall ----- Original Message ----- From: "gordon stelter" <lclgcnp@yahoo.com> To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 12:44 PM Subject: Re: mice in the piano > If you don't thoroughly clean the interior of the > piano, you will be putting whomever plays it in danger > as they, encouraged by the tuning, pound away on it > and kick up the residue under the keys, and breathe > it. But cleaning it will put you in danger. Much has > been written here about mouse-infested pianos, and you > should check the archives. I was coughing up blood for > a month once from tuning a mose-infested piano, and > ended up at the hospital. Beware. If the infestation > is more than minor, tell her to get a different > piano, and burn this one. > Most definitely don't give it to a poor family > "for their kids to learn on. " ( What rich people > usually do with infectious, dangerous pianos, in my > experience. ) > G > G > > --- pianotune05 <pianotune05@comcast.net> wrote: > >> Hi everyone, >> I got a call today from a lady who told me that >> there is evidence of mice in the piano, or past >> mouse activity. I'm going over to take a look at >> the piano tomorrow. Actually, she's willing to pick >> me up. She drives Mercedes, an old one she tells me. >> If the spelling is incorrect, blame my wife.:) >> >> Anyway, I won't do anything with the keys and action >> of the bridal straps are missing until I learn that >> repair. However, I want to accomodate her the best >> I can. She wants it tuned, but a couple of keys >> will go down but not up. I'm guessing there's a >> mouse nest in the key bed, however, is there >> something I can do in order to give that key a quick >> free up so it will go back up before I learn that >> bridal strap repair etc? Also, I read in one of >> our past journals some time back that lavender >> placed inside the piano helps keep mice away. Where >> do I purchase lavender? >> >> I apologize if this is a question already exists in >> the archives as one guy on here reamed mb about a >> while back, but i'ts a lot easier than hunting down >> an archive. Thanks so much everyone. >> Marshall >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Aart in America Piano Services >> To: Pianotech List >> Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 7:15 PM >> Subject: harpsichord >> >> >> >> >> >> Hi Blaine. >> >> Thank you so much for taking the time to compose >> this very informative and helpful email. >> The directions you have provided are invaluable! >> >> I'll let you and the other good folks on the >> list know how it comes out. >> >> Very best regards, >> >> Aart >> >> Aart in America Piano Services >> Hoboken, N.J. 07030 >> 201 406 2594 >> aartinamerica@optonline.net >> >> On Feb 16, 2006, at 9:01 AM, Blaine Vesely >> wrote: >> >> >> Aart, >> I get pianotech in digest form and have >> minimal time to read everything, but your post >> prompted this email. Don't even worry about taking >> inharmonicity measurements with a SAT2 since the >> machine does not go below 2.0 I think. A >> harpsichord modelled after an old Baroque French >> Double (sounds like this is the kind you will be >> working on) will not have much inharmonicity. Just >> use the 4th octave settings on your SAT to tune from >> B4 to the bottom of the harpsichord. A4 will be >> more toward the treble than the bass side of the >> keyboard assuming a compass of F to F. Probably the >> second A from the top of the range on the keyboard. >> When you tune the C5 to top of the keyboard, you may >> have to insert some stretch alittle, but not much. >> You can use the individual settings and tune the >> notes directly, like set machine to D5 and tune D5, >> D#5 and tune D#5. This gets you in the ballpark >> pretty much. Then use your ear to test if some >> stretch is needed. On a French Double, you will >> have two 8 foots and a 4 foot. I usually tune the >> top manual. It will only operate one set of 8 foot >> strings. You must make sure the top keyboard is >> coupled. Slide the whole keyboard front or back and >> it will couple the keyboard to the jacks. When you >> get the top manual tuned, then play the bottom >> manual. Make sure you only have the second set of 8 >> foot strings coupled, and not the 4 foot. Tune >> unisons using the bottom keyboard. Usually the 8 >> foot strings are the tuning pins closest to the >> player. Then turn off the 8 foot (lever that moves >> the jacks) and turn on the 4 foot and tune. The top >> 4 foot strings are hard sometimes to hear and you >> may have to uncouple the top manual and tune octaves >> with just the 4 foot, usually it is only the last >> several strings because they are so quiet and high >> pitched. >> >> Concerning tuning pins, if you have to replace >> a string, you really have to back out the tuning pin >> all the way if it has tapered tuning pins. If it >> has what look like miniature tuning pins that are >> straight, then put coils on a dummy pin and then >> copy what the other strings look like. I have not >> done any stringing with pins that have no becket, to >> if that is the case, you will just have to practice >> and when you get comfortable with it, go back to the >> customer. The pins generally for harpsichords that >> are of a traditional nature are designed to get >> tighter when tapped in and thus tapered. So take >> the pin out, put the string in (you might want to >> take the jacks out) and cut it maybe 8 inches longer >> than the tuning pin. Copy the way the string is on >> the pin and it helps to maintain adequate tension >> when coiling the string on the pin, and drive the >> pin in the hole. I have also been told that when >> you bring the string up to tension that you should >> leave it a little bit under pitch, maybe 50 - 100 >> cents for a few minutes. Someone told me that it >> does something to the molecules in the iron strings >> and makes it stronger. Then bring it up to full >> tension. Oh yes, the low inharmonicity and lower >> pitch when stringing thing I just talked about >> applies to instruments with red, yellow brass and >> iron strings. If you know that the instrument has >> steel strings or has strings that are wound, then >> there is probably more inharmonicity and will need >> some stretch eventually in tuning. One way to tell >> iron from steel is that when you bend or kink iron, >> it will be easier to bend and will give you a >> definite kink. Steel is harder to put a kink in it. >> >> Some fast thoughts, have fun with it. >> >> Blaine Vesely, Piano Technician >> Kent State University >> School of Music >> Kent, Ohio 44242 >> office: 330-672-2898 >> fax: 330-672-7837 >> email: bvesely@kent.edu >> >> >> > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! 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