<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><div>Why "straighten the coils'? Would that not make them prone to breaking when put back in?</div></td></tr></table> <div id="_origMsg_"> <div style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif:font-size:10pt"> <div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"> <hr size="1"> From: johnparham@piano88.com <johnparham@piano88.com>; To: <pianotech@ptg.org>; Subject: Re: [pianotech] Cleaning Very Old Plate (now string cleaning) Sent: Thu, May 24, 2012 12:35:05 PM <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" style="font:inherit;">Doug, You've shared method #2 with us before, but I have not tried it yet. You say they look like new strings, but how do they sound? Like new strings as well? -John Parham > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: [pianotech] Cleaning Very Old Plate (now string cleaning) > From: Douglas Gregg <<a ymailto="mailto:classicpianodoc@gmail.com" href="javascript:return">classicpianodoc@gmail.com</a>> > Date: Wed, May 23, 2012 10:08 pm > To: pianotech <<a ymailto="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" href="javascript:return">pianotech@ptg.org</a>> > > > Thumpe, > > All I can say is you are a brave man. I use Brake cleaner as a solvent > for cleaning brake parts and sometimes carburetors and metal parts > that are really greasy. It is an incredibly strong mixture of > solvents. It is probably the strongest solvent mixture that you can > buy. It will take off paint, lacquer, and most other finishes except > polyester. I don't doubt that a slight drip would remove some finish. > The fumes are horrendous too. I only use it outside in the driveway > with a breeze blowing. > > However, your thinking is good. Removing grease, tar, and nicotine > from strings makes them sing again. > > Another Method for string cleaning: > > Try this method that I discovered following a small experiment with CA > glue. In my home piano (a very old Horace Waters with an ornate case) > I had a buzzing bass string that would not respond to any of the usual > treatments. So I figured I would have to replace the string but first > I would experiment a little. After all the patient is terminal- right. > I put a drop of CA glue on the end of the string where I thought the > wrappings might not be tight. Well, it totally killed the string. Then > I thought, what would dissolve the CA glue. Well, not much. I tried a > variety of strong solvents. No dice. Then I figured, what is dry CA > glue but polymerized acrylic plastic. Plastic will burn. So I took out > my handy propane torch and sure enough it lit up like a candle. Then > the string sounded better than when I started- no buzz and brighter. > So I torched a little more or the string and it got brighter, and then > the whole string. It eventually sounded like a new string. Then the > rest of the strings were very tubby in comparison. So I torched all of > them carefully . They all sound good now. I did not replace any of > them. > > What I think happens is that all the contamination burns and smokes > off. Now I have done this in at least a dozen pianos, both uprights > and grands. First I use a wire wheel in a drill to clean the strings > and shine them up. The reason for this is to be able to gauge the > color of the heated copper windings when torching them. Wire brushing > does help the brightness of the sound a little but not much.  I torch > the largest strings first. Move the torch up and down the string to > heat it evenly. Watch the color of the string. It will first change > from bright to an old gold color. This is the time to stop heating. > You don't want to heat it to a blue color. That can kill the string. > Don't ask me how I know. The color change is slightly delayed too, so > stop as soon as the old gold color appears. The small strings are easy > to overheat. I protect the soundboard with a piece of aluminum > flashing behind the strings- the biggest piece that will fit. Mine is > about 1 x 2 feet. I don't bother taking the tension off the strings. > They will go flat and will need to be tuned again but they will be > much brighter. > > Method 2 > > I have been working on this for about 6 years off and on. For this, > you have to take all the strings out and straighten the coils. Bundle > them like a new set. Put the coil in an enamel or stainless straight > sided pot/bucket about 14 inches in diameter. Otherwise, you can't > force the bundle down to the bottom. I then add a 1:1 mixture of > Limeaway(phosphoric acid) and vinegar and two table spoons of > trisodium phosphate detergent or Calgon dishwasher powder in a pinch. > Completely cover the strings with liquid. I then take it OUTSIDE and > put the enamel pot in an electric fry pan and add some water to the > fry pan to make a double boiler. I heat it to boiling for 1 hour. The > strings will look like new. I then let it cool to room temperature and > pour off the acid and save it for next time. Rinse 3 or 4 times in > water in the enamel pot, then add several tablespoons of baking soda > to the last rinse. Let sit for 10 minutes while preheating an oven to > 250 F. AFTER the oven is preheated, turn it off, and  put the strings > in the oven to heat and dry. If you don't preheat the oven, the > heating is intense around the edges and will overheat some strings. > Yes,I know. Now it is ready to eat-or rather to restring. The acid is > neutralized by the water rinses and the baking soda and will not start > rusting again. They will look like new strings- even the blackest ones > you ever saw. > > Now you know my darkest secret formula. > > Doug Gregg > Classic Piano Doc > Southold, NY > > Message: 12 > Date: Tue, 22 May 2012 19:12:00 -0700 (PDT) > From: Euphonious Thumpe <<a ymailto="mailto:lclgcnp@yahoo.com" href="javascript:return">lclgcnp@yahoo.com</a>> > To: <a ymailto="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" href="javascript:return">pianotech@ptg.org</a> > Subject: Re: [pianotech] Cleaning Very Old Plate > Message-ID: >        <<a ymailto="mailto:1337739120.69108.YahooMailMobile@web114719.mail.gq1.yahoo.com" href="javascript:return">1337739120.69108.YahooMailMobile@web114719.mail.gq1.yahoo.com</a>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > That's astonishing! >  I used to clean bass strings by blasting/spraying them ( after > disconnecting the hitch pin end and putting thick plastic between them > and the piano) with brake part cleaner. A large amount of filth would > settle in puddles in the plastic on the keybed, or in folds if a grand > out on the porch, and a nearly "like new" tone and appearance ensue. > (After also running them all through the "Dethubbomator", of course.) > The brake part cleaner left no residue, but, problem was, occasionally > an errant drop of the stuff ( mostly xylene) would leak out onto some > part of the piano where not wanted, creating light spot on finish and > dark mood in customer. And TOXIC!!! (Leaving one unsure of the purpose > of existence itself, for several days, if gotten through or around > even a  top-notch carbon mask. Very, very dangerous!) > >  After seeing those photos, I look forward to trying your method on > the built-like-a-tank Mathushek grand I'm now dismantling! > > Much thanks! > Thumpe </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div>