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<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma>Hi Geoff,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma>Only now after re-reading your original post do I realize
that this is a nearly-new piano. I also now see that the leads have not
expanded, but rather are just showing initial signs of oxidation.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma>I agree with Wim that it is not likely that the dealer or
manufacturer will do anything for the situation. From their viewpoint: "Hey, the
keys aren't sticking are they? So you don't have a problem, right?"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma>As far as health & safety for the kids goes, I'd view
this situation like one does for asbestos: Isolate it. The back of the keys (I
trust any leads are on the rear half of the keys) are fairly isolated from the
pianists environment by the keybed and the fallboard. Being that there is no
source of airflow to blow the powdered lead out from that area, I doubt it poses
a significant risk. Seems they have a better chance of exposure to lead from
their Barbie dolls or Thomas choo-choo toys.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma>In this particular case the suggestions of some to coat
the exterior of the leads may indeed reduce exposure chance. Also, if there is
any worry about it, David Love's suggestion to just replace the leads and be
done with it is certainly a valid solution - perhaps the best - it is really not
a major job.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>----- Original Message ----- </FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>I have found that Hobart M. Cable is currently
being made by America Sejung<BR>> Corp. They are located in Canada, and the
piano is manufactured in either<BR>> China or Korea. The store they purchased
it from pretty much ignored their<BR>> requests for repairs that were
essentially just a need for initial new piano<BR>> prep, and refused to tune
the piano for them after delivery. Which is why<BR>> they called me in the
first place.<BR>> <BR>> I think it will be quite some time before the
leads actually expand and<BR>> cause difficulty. This is, after all, a "new"
piano. I think my immediate<BR>> concern was the knowledge that these people
have three young children and I<BR>> was concerned about the probably remote
dangers of exposure to this<BR>> decomposing/oxidizing lead. Thanks to all
for the feedback. I don't see any<BR>> little piles of dust yet. Just the
light powdery beginnings on the ends of<BR>> the leads themselves. I think I
will just watch the situation for a while<BR>> and see how it progresses
before I even mention the situation to them. I<BR>> may, however, try to talk
to someone at the store about the situation just<BR>> to see if warranty
service will even cover this. And if so, how? Good<BR>> suggestion.<BR>>
<BR>> -- Geoff Sykes<BR>> -- Los Angeles<BR> <BR>> -----Original
Message-----<BR>> Isn't the piano still under warranty?<BR>> <BR>>
Annie Grieshop<BR>> <BR>>> I know that the subject of decomposing key
leads has been brought up <BR>>> here before, but a search of the archives
brought up no results.<BR>>><BR>>> New, 2005 or 2006 Hobart M. Cable
upright, (OH-09 A).<BR>>><BR>>> I noticed on the last tuning of this
piano that all the key leads are <BR>>> starting to get covered over with
that white fluffy powder that <BR>>> indicates decomposition. My first
thought was that the owners of this <BR>>> inexpensive piano would never
go for key lead replacement. Besides, <BR>>> it's probably too soon in the
process to think in that direction. My <BR>>> next thought was to take all
the keys out and soft-wire brush the <BR>>> powder off the ends of the
leads and then seal them off with some <BR>>> clear spray paint of some
kind. Lacquer, Rust-O-Leum, AquaNet, <BR>>> whatever. Anything to
hopefully stall the process. And<BR>>> then I realized that the wiser
thing to do would be to bring the subject<BR>>> up<BR>>> here first.
So, any thoughts? Any suggestions?<BR>>><BR>>> -- Geoff
Sykes</FONT></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>