<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=2>Hi List</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>One of the pianos that I look after is a Yamaha CF = grand that is in Alice Springs.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Alice is in the centre of Australia and at times the = rain does not fall for years, well it doesn't rain very much at all. Thus the = humidity is way down.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV><FONT size=2> <TABLE border=0 cellPadding=0 cellSpacing=0 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; WIDTH: 288pt" width=384 x:str> <COLGROUP> <COL span=6 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64> <TBODY> <TR height=17 style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt"> <TD align=right class=xl24 height=17 style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt; = WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35065">Jan-96</TD> <TD align=right class=xl24 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35096">Feb-96</TD> <TD align=right class=xl24 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35125">Mar-96</TD> <TD align=right class=xl24 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35156">Apr-96</TD> <TD align=right class=xl24 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35186">May-96</TD> <TD align=right class=xl24 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35217">Jun-96</TD></TR> <TR height=17 style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt"> <TD align=right height=17 style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" x:num>6</TD> <TD align=right x:num>6</TD> <TD align=right x:num>6</TD> <TD align=right x:num>7</TD> <TD align=right x:num>10</TD> <TD align=right x:num>10</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <DIV> </DIV> <TABLE border=0 cellPadding=0 cellSpacing=0 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; WIDTH: 288pt" width=384 x:str> <COLGROUP> <COL span=6 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64> <TBODY> <TR height=17 style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt"> <TD align=right class=xl24 height=17 style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt; = WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35247">Jul-96</TD> <TD align=right class=xl24 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35278">Aug-96</TD> <TD align=right class=xl24 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35309">Sep-96</TD> <TD align=right class=xl24 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35339">Oct-96</TD> <TD align=right class=xl24 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35370">Nov-96</TD> <TD align=right class=xl24 style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64 x:num="35400">Dec-96</TD></TR> <TR height=17 style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt"> <TD align=right height=17 style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" x:num>9</TD> <TD align=right x:num>8</TD> <TD align=right x:num>7</TD> <TD align=right x:num>6</TD> <TD align=right x:num>5</TD> <TD align=right x:num>6</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The bottom figure represents the moisture content of pine timber = 1/2" thick outside under cover.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Most of the town has similar readings inside there houses that = correspond with these figures.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Somewhere I have the figures for temp and humidity for these months = but at present I can't locate them.  If anyone wants them desperately, I = will try to find them.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The average Moisture content of pine in Adelaide, Melbourne, = Sydney (the southern parts of Australia) is 15 % so you can see that Alice = Spring is dry.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Now for the story.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This piano has been over the last 10 years, quite a problem, the = tuning pins are loose,(some wouldn't hold without the little jiggle of the = hammer) action is too free, and tone has that crispy sound to it.  = There was a fine buzz you can hear when you are tuning like a loose screw or something and in general I have been worried that the dryness is = causing irreparable damage to the belly structure.  In fact the pin holding = the Una-corda bar fell out whilst the piano was being played. (embarrassing situation)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Eventually the management allowed me to fit a double tank complete = system (set at 42%) to the piano.  This was 6 months ago. The piano was = tuned at that time. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Three months later the piano had risen in pitch by 5 cents across = the entire piano. I noticed very little difference in the torque of the = pins.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have just retuned the piano and noticed the pitch had once = again risen by 5 cents but this time pins that were only just holding where = holding much better.  The buss sound has decreased and the action has = tightened to a point that I am now going to adjust the rep. springs on my next = visit.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>After the concert finished, I touched up the piano only to a minor = degree and then for the first time fitted a cover to the piano that hangs down = to the floor. the cover is made from the same material as the waterproof covers = on the back of utilities (Light trucks).  This cover has a lining of = softer material.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It will be interesting to see the results over the next few = months.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Regards</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Tony Caught ICPTG<BR>Australia<BR><A href="mailto:caute@optusnet.com.au">caute@optusnet.com.au</A></DIV> <DIV></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>