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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial><FONT color=#ff0000
size=4>David,</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial> <FONT color=#ff0000 size=4>Comments
interspersed below</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=davidskolnik@optonline.net
href="mailto:davidskolnik@optonline.net">David Skolnik</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, November 21, 2011 10:30
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [pianotech] piano behavior -
shrinking with H20 & alcohol</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Tom -<BR>Just curious. How do you know it's a case for
shrinking? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial>Many acrosonic actions from the
50's-60's have sluggush centers. My first test is to depress the left pedal
and release quickly. If the hammers don't follow the returning rail the action
has " Baldwin disease ". Lubes will help but based on experience not very well
and /or not for long. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial>No matter what the action if a
center frees up completely and immediately with protek then shrinking is less
likely to be needed</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Have you tried naptha and exercising the part (taken off the
rail)? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial>Naptha will clean out
gunk</FONT> <FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4>(not vertigris)
but in my experience is not very helpful.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4>Taking the parts off the rail
? Way too much time when you can excercise the centers in
place</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> I know there's the issue of retaining proper alignment,</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial>Alignment stinks on most Baldwin
verticals anyway --especially hammer spacing-traveling </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>but I wonder what your experience has been in controlling the amount of
shrinkage. Do you use a pharmaceutical grade alcohol with a controlled
water content? I ask because I have not had many occasions to employ the
method, and not glowing success when I have. I'm sure it's
me.<BR></DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
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style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial>Back in the 70's I was instructed
to use methanol from the drug store mixed 50-50 with water but</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial>it's not available in small
quantities anymore (to my knowledge) . I was using cheap vodka from the NH
state liquor store which was cheaper than buying the methanol, but since have
been advised by my list brethren that denatured alc solvent mixed 50% with
water works as well. I don't think there is any magic formula here. The alc.
cuts through the lanolin in the wool and introduces the water into the wool
fibers . I've heard a few theories as to what happens to the center. The
fibers shrink as a wool sweater shrinks when washed. The fibers are trapped
between the wood of the flange and the center pin and compress as they swell
and when dry free up the center. Pick the theory that suits you but in any
case this is a method that has been used for ever . </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial> I juiced up all
the centers this morning . 12 hours later with only air drying (42%
RH in the shop today) and the worst hammer -butt assembly sample now has 8
swings from 2 swings before the treatment .</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial>Most recently I've sized several
over tight damper guide rail bushings on new Chinese pianos </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial>Tom D.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4 face=Arial>P.S. The best reason for ditching
the vodka concoction is it gives the wrong impression to the client when they
see the bottle on the work bench</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT><BR>David Skolnik<BR>Hastings on Hudson,
NY <BR><BR><BR><BR>At 09:40 AM 11/21/2011, you wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">
<DL>
<DD> Others such as the Baldwin action on my bench now will need
shrinking.<BR>
<DD><BR>
<DD>Tom Driscoll
</DD></DL></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=davidskolnik@optonline.net
href="mailto:davidskolnik@optonline.net">David Skolnik</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, November 21, 2011 10:30
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [pianotech] piano behavior -
shrinking with H20 & alcohol</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Tom -<BR>Just curious. How do you know it's a case for
shrinking? Have you tried naptha and exercising the part (taken off the
rail)? I know there's the issue of retaining proper alignment, but I
wonder what your experience has been in controlling the amount of
shrinkage. Do you use a pharmaceutical grade alcohol with a controlled
water content? I ask because I have not had many occasions to employ the
method, and not glowing success when I have. I'm sure it's
me.<BR><BR>David Skolnik<BR>Hastings on Hudson, NY <BR><BR><BR><BR>At 09:40 AM
11/21/2011, you wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">
<DL>
<DD> Others such as the Baldwin action on my bench now will need
shrinking.<BR>
<DD><BR>
<DD>Tom Driscoll
</DD></DL></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>