<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 7/23/2007 7:06:47 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>Thanks very much Bob. I am familiar with violin varnish which my brother <BR>uses, but i had not considered that pianos used something comparable. I will <BR>go explore the links that you have provided, and learn something else new.<BR><BR>May i ask where you obtained suitable varnish when you did use it?</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">Varnish formulas vary in the type of resin, the proportion of oil, and the amount of driers. The most common resins are alkyd, and polyurethane-modified alkyd. The polyurethanes are more abrasion resistant, but in our experience tend to make a white shatter if damaged, so are harder to touch up. They tend to yellow more, and are more touchy to recoat. The alkyd is a little softer, but easier to rub out and re-rub.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">McCloskey makes a good alkyd resin varnish called Heirloom. [This just in - I understand the parent company, Valspar, is changing the name to Cabot Varnish.] It is also medium oil, which puts it between the short oil varnishes, which are harder but less flexible; and the long-oil varnishes (like spar varnish), which are unnecessarily flexible, and softer. We have used it on soundboards (and a few pianos) for over thirty years, and don't have any complaints.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Hope that helps.</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>