Teflon

[Joel Jones]

Bill and Tom,
At WI we have 100+ Steinway's with teflon.  After 25 years most of the
clickers are eliminated.   I have  a  D on stage that everyone has
forgotten is bushed with teflon.  Performers think it's great.
	I share your experience that the teflon isn't terribly difficult to
master.  With UW budget I never bought the reamers, but use the center pin
method.   Keep the pins scored with the files.  I find the teflon builds up
and dulls the scoring on the pin.
	Have you determined the cause of the clicking?   My thought is that
the click doesn't come from the loose fitting of the pin in the bushing,
but instead from the bushing slapping against the flange.  One of my
students was called on the do a mini-tech on eliminated clicks from teflon.
We reamed the bushing several sizes bigger, but could not make the click.
By filing some wood off the tongue of the flange we finally made it click.
 My analysis :  the click comes from the loose fit between the bushing and
flange.
	This may explain the quick fix of inserting a balance punching in
this area to stop the clicking.  Anyone had this experience?
Keep In tune....
Joel

 >>The problem with teflon is that most of us hardly see it anymore.  I haven't
>>had enough work with it to get and keep my skills with it.  Have a couple
>>sets in boxes to practice on if I really wanted too, though....
>>
>>Bill Shull
>>University of Redlands, La Sierra University
>
>Hi Bill,
>
>Unfortunately, we technicians at the University of Texas see more
>than our share of teflon actions on a daily basis. Almost all of our
>newer Steinway grands had teflon actions when they were purchased in
>1978-79. Although the teflon has been removed from many of our
>pianos, the wippens and back actions in many of our practice room
>Steinways still contain teflon, which requires regular servicing.

>In one sense, I feel that rebushing teflon is faster than rebushing
>wool because you don't have to wait until the glue dries before
>reaming and pinning. Furthermore, you don't always have to go up a
>half-size in pins if you over-ream. You can simply replace the teflon
>bushing and ream to fit, unless of course the pin is loose in the
>part.
>
>In general, I don't find teflon all that hard to service. If you have
>the proper tools and equipment and have become skilled in their use,
>it really isn't too difficult a procedure to master. However, as you
>correctly pointed out, lots of practice is the answer.
>
>Kindest regards,
>
>Tom Seay
>The University of Texas at Austin
>mailto:t.seay@mail.utexas.edu