<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 7/22/2007 9:46:09 AM Pacific Daylight Time, scottwaynejackson@hotmail.com writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>I am familiar with the "french polish" shellac and the nitro-cellulose <BR>lacquer finish, but was not aware of a third option. Can you tell me what <BR>the varnish finish that you refer to consists of?</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Scott,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">There's more than you would ever want to know about varnish at the wikipedia article <A href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varnish">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varnish</A> and at <A href="http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/How_Varnishes_Cure.html">http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/How_Varnishes_Cure.html</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">but basically, varnishes are a "curing" finish rather than a "drying" finish like lacquer and shellac, which can be re-dissolved in their original solvent. In the piano industry, varnish was used at the last of the 19th century and early 20th, and was brushed on (sometimes over a sealer coat of shellac), allowed to cure, then rubbed out and polished with abrasives. It is a tougher finish than shellac, and not as affected by water and alcohol spills. I like varnish, but it's hard work. The change to lacquer was mostly for the sake of efficiency, although some lacquers can contain "curing" elements as well.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Most of the "alligatored" finishes you see on older pianos are varnish finishes which have lost their elasiticity, and pull apart as the wood moves under them due to humidity changes.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Bob Davis</FONT></DIV><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Get a sneak peek of the all-new <A title="http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour/?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000982" href="http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour/?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000982" target="_blank">AOL.com</A>.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>