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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Willem,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Thank you for your comment. I can see how this got
out of hand; David Anderson has a good take on it. This would probably
never happen in a face-to-face conversation. Heck, you are probably a nice
guy. I have assumed that people on this list are of a technician level,
due to the nature of the sponsor of this list, so I expected to be treated
as such. I apologize for not giving you the benefit of the
doubt.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Gary</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=wimblees@aol.com href="mailto:wimblees@aol.com">Willem Blees</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, December 31, 2007 8:31
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Ebony finish</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Gary</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>I'm sorry if I offended you. I didn't answer the question as if you are
an idiot, but there are some techs on this list serve who are very
inexperienced, and there are even non-techs who know virtually nothing about
finishing. I had no way of knowing you have 50 years of experience. But the
way you asked the question made it appear you did not know what you
are doing. If anything, I guess I should have put a smiley face after the
Rustolium remark. But for you to blast me for giving a very elementary answer
to an elementary question, which you took offense to, is way out of line. If
it offended you, again, I'm sorry, but maybe the next time you can ask
the question in a more intelligent way. </DIV>
<DIV style="CLEAR: both"><BR>Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT<BR>Piano
Tuner/Technician<BR>Honolulu, HI<BR>Author of <BR>The Business of Piano
Tuning<BR>available from Potter
Press<BR>www.pianotuning.com</DIV><BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From:
Gary Fluke <gary.fluke@verizon.net><BR>To: Pianotech List
<pianotech@ptg.org><BR>Sent: Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:02 am<BR>Subject: Re:
Ebony finish<BR><BR>
<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_2_b85ce27f-24f4-442f-bf26-8bc8129fc99a>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face=Arial>Willem,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Arial>I do
appreciate that you have told me to use black lacquer to get an ebony
finish.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I don’t appreciate your
tone and your assumption that I am an idiot with a spray can.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Was it my use of the word
“apply”?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Have you had a bad
experience with the word “apply” sometime in the past, or do you just assume
people are idiots until you find they might not be?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Gee, who would have thought to sand
between coats?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Pull the keys out?
Gee, I never thought of that...</SPAN>You are appearing to be pompous
regarding a simple little subject.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The tone of your answer has caused the thread to immediately
degenerate, witness William Monroe’s take regarding how I may be inclined to
just spray away all over the strings and who knows what with my can of
Rustoleum.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If you continue this
behavior, I will consider you to be a buffoon.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Arial>I’ve been
applying finishes, such as paint, to things for fifty years and will continue
to do so.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I made a living in the
Surface Finishing industry for thirty years, both in manufacturing and selling
the products used. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I just didn’t
know which product was used to make a piano black.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If you want to treat me like an idiot
in public, I’ll call you on it in public, every time!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Arial>Gary
Fluke</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Arial>Snohomish,
WA </FONT></DIV></DIV>
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style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=wimblees@aol.com href="mailto:wimblees@aol.com">Willem Blees</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, December 31, 2007 10:09
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Ebony finish</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><WBR>Gary<BR><BR>You don't "apply" an ebony finish. To make
the piano ebony, it would need to be refinished. The old finish has to be
taken off and the wood sanded. Then sealer has to be applied, followed by
several coats of black lacquer and clear lacquer, sanding in between each
coat. To make sure the lacquer doesn't get on the keys and strings, they
need to be removed, and the keybed and strings need to be covered with
paper. The hardware should also be removed, and before you put them back on,
need to be cleaned and polished. <BR><BR>Of course that's for a professional
looking finish, You can also go down to the hardware store and buy a couple
of can of black Rustolium, and just spray away. <BR><BR>Willlem (Wim)
Blees, RPT<BR>Piano Tuner/Technician<BR>Honolulu, HI<BR>Author of <BR>The
Business of Piano Tuning<BR>available from Potter Press<BR><A
href="http://www.pianotuning.com/"
target=_blank>www.pianotuning.com</A><BR><BR>-----Original
Message-----<BR>From: Gary Fluke <<A
href="mailto:gary.fluke@verizon.net">gary.fluke@verizon.net</A>><BR>To:
<A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A><BR>Sent: Mon, 31
Dec 2007 7:50 am<BR>Subject: Ebony finish<BR><BR>
<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_2_6be7d698-85fe-4762-b242-2291a8729e04>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I have a Mason and Hamlin console from 1957. The
walnut finish could stand to be done over again. These pianos were
also available in an ebony finish when new. How would one apply an
ebony finish to my piano?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Gary Fluke</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Snohomish, WA</FONT></DIV></DIV>
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