Aaaaarrrrrgh, Part Deux

[Richard Brekne]

Alan !

Grin... if its any help to you.... I would agree that using CA in pin 
blocks for whatever reasons has not been shown to be of any detriment to 
the wood. Perhaps the comment was based on that earlier product which 
some people still swear by called Pin Tite ? 

In any case... CA has its uses me thinks.  I myself am a sceptic to CA 
in this context... but I'll be the first to admit its because I feel 
that most often pianos that are in such a condition as to benefit from 
this treatment are more often then not pretty shot anyways... one way or 
the other.  I'd like to see people buying newer and better instruments 
and taking better care of them in the first place.

I know I  know... I live on planet Zenon  :)

Cheers
RicB


    A recent post said: "... I wouldn't ruin a perfectly good block by
    using CA as a stopgap method in a piano this new, I would recommend
    re-stringing with oversize saving the church the cost of a new
    block. No it isn't the greatest piano ever made but to ruin the
    block with CA because the tech has no foresight is negligent!"

    I mean nothing personal, here, but this is going to leave
    impressionable newbie minds with a wrong, wrong picture. The belief
    that CA does harm to the block is pure bullfeathers, twaddle, and
    poppycock and is, in mine umble opinion, based on misinformation,
    lack of experience, or outright superciliousness. CA in no way
    "ruins" a pinblock. If you want to restring with larger pins, go for
    it: but it's a might expensive repair compared to 2 oz of CA. And if
    you start with the CA and later desire to put in larger pins or
    whatever, the option is still there and the previous use of the
    chemical will in no wise be a problem.

    As to CA not working well in a dry climate, why would it not? It's
    not "dope" that depends on pulling in ambient moisture, it is a
    permanent (or seemingly) replacement of the missing wood fibres. You
    may have to generate a little humidity around the piano while it cures.

    And what's this nonsense about CA being a "stopgap method"? We now
    have years of experience in a variety of climates and all kinds of
    pianos that is wholly persuasive: CA is an effective, inexpensive,
    long-term fix. There are occasional, anecdotal reports where it
    didn't work; in such cases, I suspect delamination and/or cracking
    or really, totally shot blocks in the first place.

    Others! Feel free to share your thoughts. I'm reeeeeeaally not
    picking a fight with the person I quote above, I just think these
    notions are flat wrong and I don't want techs out there condemning
    otherwise perfectly(?) good pianos or engaging in heroic, expensive
    efforts to save them--when an hour with tilter and glue bottle can
    save the day, the piano, and the customer.

    I still feel bad about the woman who trashed her magnificent 1890
    piano--one of the most beautiful cases I have ever seen--because she
    wasn't enough of a player and hadn't the money to "restore" the
    pinblock. Her husband chopped it up and threw it away because I,
    little old ignorant me, told her the block was shot and the repairs
    would cost such and such much. This was about a month before I first
    heard of the CA fix. I think it's a miracle-cure, frankly; akin to
    the discovery of penicillin!



    Alan Barnard

    Salem, MO