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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Hi John,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I don't think I've ever used alcohol/water on a newish
action, but on many 30+ to 100 year old pianos for sure. I like the method and
have had very good results from it. I honestly don't know what % alcohol/water
I've been using because I keep a bottle with some in there and when it gets low
I pour in some water and some alcohol. When I apply it I make sure there is high
% alcohol so that it soaks in. Then subsequent passes are with a higher % water
(just to be sure to get lots of water in the bushings.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I bring the action to my shop, soak the action centers
down - I usually go through them two or three times to be sure to get 'em all
good. Then let dry AT LEAST overnight - preferably 24 to 48 hours. I'd estimate
that 95+% of the time that frees up any action center. I keep my shop at about
50% RH.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I have tried the hair dryer a couple times with generally
disasterous results - I have found that slow natural drying is superior. I will
put a small fan on low for some minimal air movement.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I use denatured alcohol. Don't know why. Someone probably
told me that was better. Anyway, I have a gallon in my shop, so that's what I
use.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Good luck!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=formsma@gmail.com href="mailto:formsma@gmail.com">John Formsma</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr>Is the alcohol/water sizing method for centers most effective on
newer centers that haven't had several seasons of changes?
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>With the relatively few times I've tried sizing with alcohol and water,
it hasn't worked so well. The bushings were either so tight that that
kind of sizing wasn't appropriate, or (as it turned out) corrosion was the
main friction culprit. And it has been mainly on older pianos that I've tried
it. Though I did have some success with combining the solution with heat
from a hair dryer.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>If a 10%-30% water solution doesn't work, will it help to go to a higher
percentage of water? Or is it that the alcohol/water sizing method just
won't work at all if it doesn't work at 30%? What's the practical upper
limit?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I will be working this week on a Baldwin vertical action with friction
problems. I thought I'd give alcohol/water a try first before
repinning.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Is methanol significantly different than ethanol? (For this
purpose, of course. I can already hear the drinking jokes coming.
<G>)</DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>