David, thank you for your thorough post. I just got a note from Marshall where he said he posted a question to the list, so I looked it up and found his and yours. I have a call in to him, hope to hear back soon. Marshall visited our shop a couple of weeks ago, where I met him for the first time. I had learned he lives just a few towns away and we spoke on the phone, got together once Christmas was over. He has visited our chapter, although I wasn't there that meeting and didn't realize. We did a full DC upright system install when he came up. He sees a good bit, just not well enough to drive and see detail, but his appetite for learning is voracious. Marshall, we mean it, (locally and on the list) - assistance is available from many sources. We have a vibrant chapter and really do want to help. Don't be shy about asking our members! I sent Marshall off with water can/adapter and hose, not knowing what he would need. I can follow up on this with him. I dearly believe that nobody can do it all, and many things, like strings, can be farmed out and commission collected. I offered to install a system for his customer and not charge him except for the system cost. Ruth Phillips ruth at alliedpiano.com 888-622-7426 Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:31:07 -0500 From: David Skolnik <davidskolnik at optonline.net> To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] question about damp chaser and weather change Message-ID: <0LY300B3ISD8L5Q0 at mta3.srv.hcvlny.cv.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; Format="flowed" Marshall - As Zeno already suggested, getting a dampchaser unit operational when it hasn't previously been so can affect the tuning, however, you raise a number of questions in your post, and there a few that the post itself raises, in and of itself. The one's I'll ignore are those related to how to deal with the customer. That's a totally separate issue. First, you're in the Northeast - as am I. Up until mid-December, the humidity didn't do much in the way of dramatic dives, but since then, I've generally measured 15% or less fairly regularly. You don't make clear from your post when the dampchaser had last been filled, whether the pads had been changed regularly, the unit itself cleaned, or whether it had even remained plugged in. If so, as a 15 year old system, it's possible that the humidifier portion was heating up, even though it was dry, which would certainly have further distorted the tuning. But wait, there's more. With respect, if you are - what's currently OK - visually restrained - how are you making judgements about the installation (such as the condition of the hose)? In my own dampchaser work, I've organized myself to have the tools (small 90 degree drill, hex socket, etc.) and extra parts (clamps of all sizes, screws, brackets, etc.), but it's still challenging at times to work around someone else's installation. I'm assuming that this was not originally installed by you. Damppchaser does supply an adapter for the new filling pitchers that fits the older hoses, and there are certainly larger clamps available. Any of the Dampchaser distributors could help you with that. I'm sorry I'm not able to visualize what you mean by the "little L shaped brace...that feels like an allen wrench...etc.). Two points here are quite important. First, if the hose is not firmly fixed, it can (and, sooner or later, will) come loose and direct a subsequent filling onto the floor, rug, cat, or whatever else is under the piano. Second, with regard to the question of siphoning, the answer is "Yes", if the tank-end of the hose is too deep into the tank, so that it sits under the water, once the filling is completed, it will siphon when you (or more likely, they) lower the hose to replace it under the piano. Damppchaser systems can work well, but they are not as fool-proof as one might wish. As the technician, it's prudent to allow for the possibility that something might not be working quite as intended, even with the newer "smart" systems. If there is any question, you should consider getting some help from a colleague. Which brings me to my last, and most peripheral point. You mentioned, in a previous post, that you had a friend who was an RPT. You should try to utilize your local PTG resources and, if you haven't already done so, consider joining. Good luck. David Skolnik Hastings on Hudson, NY At 08:49 PM 1/19/2012, you wrote: >Hi Everyone, >Last Saturday I went to a repeat customer to tune their Steinway L. It >has an older damp chaser, about 15 yrs old. They needed a new pitcher >to fill it and a new hose. The old hose was in too bad of shape to >keep so I discarded it. It had two clamps that hold the hose in place >undneeth, but I coud only use one because the hose was too fat to get >throug none of the clamps as it was too small. I would have put a new >clamp on but didn't have a start tip screwdriver. I need to get these >things I know. So I was able to place the hose on the little L shaped >brace on the lyer that feels like an allen wrench for the time being >and it held it up fine. My question is, will fixing this damp chaser >adding the water and making it work affect the tuning? The temp was 67 >with 31% RH. I placed the hydrometer in that littel triangular part of >the plate by the pins where the L is stamped. > >My customer called this afternoon but didn't leave a message. Do you >guys think if there was something wrong they would have left a message? >I thought about writing you folks and asking about the tuning and then >calling her and mentioning that I wanted to say to >her that adding the humidity might change the tuning. I wanted to >check to see ow the piano is doing?" Then if there is a problem it will >look better on my end. Since I had to rig up the hose that way, it >won't cause the water to siphon out of the tank and onto the floor wil >it? thanks everyone Marshall > > >Marshall Gisondi Piano Technician >Marshall's Piano Service >pianotune05 at hotmail.com >215-510-9400 ><http://www.phillytuner.com/>www.phillytuner.com >Graduate of The School of Piano Technology for the Blind ><http://www.pianotuningschool.org/>www.pianotuningschool.org Vancouver, WA > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20120120/99d105f5/attac hment.html> ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:31:23 -0500 From: Marshall Gisondi <pianotune05 at hotmail.com> To: <pianotech at ptg.org> Subject: [pianotech] damp chaser and weather changes and tool cases Message-ID: <BLU167-W459D9413ED07459FE0830B9870 at phx.gbl> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hi Zeno, Thanks for the info on the damp chaser. Will that quick fix I did hold the hose up for now. I tried opening that colar, but I was afraid of breaking that plastic clamp. I'm thinking about calling the customer and just mentioning that their number came up and asking how the piano is doing? Would that be a good plan? Dave, what case did you purchase from an office supply store? Any recommendations? i.e. computer case, lap top case, small suit case? thanks again everyone Marshall
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