<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Does Spar Varnish ring a bell with anyone?<div>John Ross,</div><div>Windsor, Nova Scotia<br><div><div>On 15-07-2012, at 5:54 PM, Joseph Garrett wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div>I remember reading on pianotech many moons ago, about a liquid Techs <br>use when restringing. It make it easier to knock the pins in but then it <br>sets increasing the torque. As the old search is no longer there and <br>I can't get my head round the new system. Anyone on here know what it <br>is called and what is in it<br><br>Thanks<br><br>Barrie,<br>Essentially, pin driving fluid is nothing more than the base substance for<br>Varnish, only without all the extra things that make it set up and be a<br>specific type of varnish. A lot of those things are called "driers". Some<br>of the added things work against what we want it to do, in this<br>application. Our goal is to make the tuning pin go into the undersized hole<br>with the least amount of trauma to the wood. Once the pin is in the wood,<br>it needs to provide a smooth friction interface between the tuning pin and<br>the wood. Or to put it another way, to provide a controllable, (if that is<br>really possible<G>), friction in regards to consistantly drilled holes in<br>the pinblock material. What we don't want is "poppy" tuning pins. Another<br>thing that the pin driving fluid does, is to seal the wood, so that it is<br>less reactive to humidity changes. If regular Varnish is used, (with all<br>it's extra additives), It's been my experience that the end result will be<br>inconsistant torque and "poppy" pins. <br>I used to get my pin driving fluid from Rhodda Paints. They no longer make<br>Varnish, so they no longer have that particular base in stock. I still have<br>some. It's almost20 years old. I am noticing a change in its composition<br>and ability to do what I want it to. I suspect when it goes South, I'll<br>simply go to the drilling system that Nossaman uses. (with perhaps<br>something to swab the holes with, which I have not clue what, at this<br>point.<G>) There other paint manufacturers that still make Varnish. You'll<br>need to, directly,  contact their Laboratory, to get the base substance.<br>One of those manufacturers is Miller Paints. I'm sure there are others.<br>Hope that helps.<br>Joe<br><br><br>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<br>Captain of the Tool Police<br>Squares R I<br><br></div></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>