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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I've never tried wallpaper remover with water - although I
hear very good results are had with that combo. I have always used denatured
alcohol & water - about 50/50 on both damper felts and key bushing felts.
Once the felt has been wetted, one can switch to straight water. The 50/50
initial ratio seems to not be critical at all. If hide glue had been used, after
several hours of soaking, felt simply falls off - no cutting, tugging, scraping
- no nothing - felt simply falls off.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>For white-type glue in key bushings, I have soaked with
alcohol/water overnight. I place small wedges of dense felt in the mortise to
hold moisture right at the key bushings. Then I hit each bushing with a very
quick application of a dedicated hot key bushing ironing brass piece in the
soldering iron. The quick blast of heat on the soaked bushing gives the bushing
glue a shot of steam and makes them all but fall out. Unfortunately there
remains some glue residue on the wood. :-(</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=3>I wish it were a law to only used hot
hide glue on key bushings. Pa-foo-ee on anyone that doesn't.</FONT> <FONT
size=5><STRONG> ;-)</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"> </DIV>While
we're on this subject - I just introduced the notion of using a damper felt
removal solution (diluted wallpaper remover and vinegar) rather than the manly
(or womanly) slicing off and sanding of old felts (the old-fashioned method
they've been using here), into the milieu of the Steinway London Restoration
Centre, where I've been working for the last few months. Lightbulbs went on
above heads when they realized how much time they won't be wasting anymore if
they incorporate this cheeky American technique : )
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<DIV>I've always figured that the ratios of the different ingredients were not
particularly crucial - just a well-diluted solution. Does anyone have any
comments on that? Is the vinegar really necessary? I think my solution morphed
over the years from one including alcohol-water-vinegar to the present one,
for vaguely remembered reasons....</DIV>
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<DIV>For keybushing removal here, they've been using pure "meths'", which as
far as i can tell is a mix of ethanol and methanol (yikes - isn't that toxic?)
and lots of tugging and slicing. I think the American solution will be an
improvement with that, as well.</DIV>
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<DIV>I know: steam and wet cloth works very well on key bushings also, but
that's probably a little too radical too present here. </DIV>
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<DIV>I'd be curious to hear if there are any other ideas on glue softening
solutions. This one works best with hide glue, naturally. Anybody have a
solution for white and other more stubborn glues?</DIV>
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<DIV>Sincerely, </DIV>
<DIV><BR class=khtml-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV>Allen Wright, RPT</DIV>
<DIV>London, UK</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>