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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>Wouldn't the rag touch the bass strings, or do you
shield them?</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV>John Ross<BR>Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada<BR><A
href="mailto:jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca">jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca</A></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, March 31, 2008 2:01
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Grand Cleaning</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><WBR>David<BR><BR>To clean the plate, I remove the action, and
using a damp rag, dipped in a solution of Mr. Clean (or some other
cleaner), and luke warm water, I push the rag from the bass string area to the
high treble with a soundboard steel. I take the rag out at the high treble
into the action cavity. I do this a number of times, covering all the
parts of the soundboard. I rinse the rags for each pass. When I get done,
I vacuum up the dirt in the action cavity. If the lid prop isn't long enough
for you to get to the bass end, I use the front rail to prop up the lid.
<BR><BR>
<DIV style="CLEAR: both">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:
Jean and David Weiss <djweiss@ntelos.net><BR>To: 'Pianotech List'
<pianotech@ptg.org><BR>Sent: Sun, 30 Mar 2008 8:38 pm<BR>Subject: RE:
Grand Cleaning<BR><BR>
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<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'">Wim,
</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'">I
like the idea of the posts cards to hand to the customers. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'">Can
you please tell me your method for cleaning the plate?</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'">David
Weiss</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #b5c4df 1pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 3pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none">
<DIV class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'">From:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'"> <A
href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A> [<A
href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org?">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A>]
<B>On Behalf Of </B>Willem Blees<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, March 30, 2008 12:42
PM<BR><B>To:</B> <A
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A><BR><B>Subject:</B> Re:
Grand Cleaning</SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal> </DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.25in">I've just made up post
cards I can hand to my customers when I see a need for cleaning service.
It not only explains what I'm going to do, but also includes a short
disclaimer. I could do the work in the customer's house, but I want to
shape hammers and tighten screws on my bench in my shop, not on the
piano, the floor, or the piano bench. <SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt">Upright cleaning service:
$175.00</SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">1. Remove action</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">2. Shape hammers</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">3. Tighten screws</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">4. Blow dirt out of
action</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">5. Clean keys</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">6. Vacuum under keys and bottom
of the piano</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">7. Clean and polish pedals.
</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>Cleaning service does not include case cleaning, touch
up, or polishing, action regulation or any repairs to the piano, action, case,
strings, or any other piano components.<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt">
</SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt"><BR><BR>Grand piano
cleaning service: $275.00</SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">1. Remove action</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">2. Shape hammers</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">3. Tighten screws</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">4. Blow dirt out of
action</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">5. Vacuum keyframe</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">6. Clean keys</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">7. Vacuum action
cavity</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">8. Clean under
strings</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">9. Clean plate</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">10. Clean pin area</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in">11. Clean and polish pedals and
pedal rods.</DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>Cleaning service does not include case cleaning, touch
up, or polishing, action regulation or any repairs to the piano, action, case,
strings, or any other piano components. </DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><BR><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>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><A href="http://www.pianotuning.com/"
target=_blank>www.pianotuning.com</A></DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><BR><BR>-----Original
Message-----<BR>From: Isaac Sadigursky <<A
href="mailto:irs.pianos@earthlink.net">irs.pianos@earthlink.net</A>><BR>To:
'Pianotech List' <<A
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>><BR>Sent: Sat, 29 Mar
2008 8:03 pm<BR>Subject: RE: Grand Cleaning</DIV>
<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_2_1e68fbf6-a986-43a6-b6ac-b33b22e15486>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Hi,Mathtew!</SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I do
clean pianos daily and what works for me is:</SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">ELECTROLUX
vacuum cleaner with TWO hoses.First,vacuum all possible dust and junk,then
using blower end in one hand and suction end in another hand proceed and this
powerful vacuum will do the trick..Few more precausons to keep
dust from flying all over customers living room;put damp cloth on sndbrd
around the tail of a grand piano,it works as an arrestor for dust…All
procedure takes less then 20 minutes..Vacuum is equipped with automatic
cord rewinder,2 hoses,rags,towels are packed in roll-away wheeled luggage
case…good luck…Isaac</SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center>
<HR align=center width="100%" SIZE=2>
</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'">From:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'"> <A
href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org"><U><SPAN
style="COLOR: blue">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</SPAN></U></A> [<A
href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org?"><U><SPAN
style="COLOR: blue">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</SPAN></U></A>] <B>On
Behalf Of </B>Willem Blees<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, March 28, 2008 11:36
PM<BR><B>To:</B> <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"><U><SPAN
style="COLOR: blue">pianotech@ptg.org</SPAN></U></A><BR><B>Subject:</B> Re:
Grand Cleaning</SPAN></DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>Matthew</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal> </DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>You've gotten some good advice, but what I have not seen
is what I used to do in St. Louis, and something I am going to
start doing for my customer here in Hawaii. For grands, I take the
action home and clean the keys, vacuum under the keys, tighten the screws
and shape the hammers. When I return to the customer, I vacuum out the action
cavity, clean the soundboard with a damp rag, using a soundboard steel,
clean the plate and vacuum the pin area using a hard bristle paint
brush. The most important part of this is cleaning the soundboard and the
pin area because that is what the customer sees. One other thing I will
do is clean the pedals. The salt air here on the island
corrodes most pedals. But all you will have to do is polish them. It adds
a nice touch. It will take about 2 hours to do all of this, plus a second
trip to the customer's house, so price it accordingly. </DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>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><A href="http://www.pianotuning.com/"
target=_blank><U><SPAN
style="COLOR: blue">www.pianotuning.com</SPAN></U></A></DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt">
<DIV class=MsoNormal><BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Matthew Todd
<<A href="mailto:toddpianoworks@yahoo.com"><U><SPAN
style="COLOR: blue">toddpianoworks@yahoo.com</SPAN></U></A>><BR>To: <A
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"><U><SPAN
style="COLOR: blue">pianotech@ptg.org</SPAN></U></A><BR>Sent: Fri, 28 Mar 2008
7:06 am<BR>Subject: Grand Cleaning</DIV></DIV>
<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_2_bd55f114-e84c-4b10-b9f4-6e8b375b8c3d>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>A client wants me to come over and clean her Kawai
grand. This will be my first, and I was curious as to what kind of
service(s) I can offer her. According to the "G" piano works labor
guide, a complete grand cleaning can take as long as 3.5 hrs. When I
talked with my client, she had only mentioned about cleaning the soundboard,
but then again, she may not realize all the dust that can accumulate in her
keybed, etc.</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal> </DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>What kind of cleaning services do you all offer? Do
you offer the most basic service and go up to the most complete
cleaning? When I go through a car wash, I can pay three bucks, and all
they'll do is hose my car down. Or I can pay more for scrubbing, and
even more to get the wheels done. I just need advice on how to sort this
out. 3.5 hrs sounds like a great service, but I don't know how many
clients are willing to pay that.</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal> </DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal>Thanks in advance!<BR>Matthew</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center>
<HR align=center width="100%" SIZE=1>
</DIV>
<DIV>
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