[pianotech] Fixing stripped screws

[Ron Nossaman]

Ryan Sowers wrote:

> Darrel Fandrich recommended his new treatment for Verdigris at the 
> California State Conference in Burbank. He's using Ballistol followed by 
> a heat gun. It will smoke so do it outside. (Darrel says he likes the 
> smell)  I tried it on an old Mason where every single flange in the 
> action was sluggish (hammers, wippens, jacks and rep levers!) and protek 
> wasn't doing the trick. On an action that needs to be rebuilt anyways I 
> figure there's not much to lose. Kinda like doping a pinblock. The piano 
> went from being unplayable to playing amazingly well! It will be 
> interesting to see how long it lasts.

I was doing this 20 years ago with the silicone/naphtha mix, 
only that didn't smell so good. It worked like gangbusters, 
and lasted 5-10 or so years, but in all cases that I know of 
the sluggishness eventually came back. None of the pianos I 
did this on were ever rebuilt, at least not by me. They just 
wanted them to sort of work until they died, or passed the 
family heirloom on to one of their children in another state.
Ron N