Andrew, I think before you do anything you should be contacting Boston. How old are these pianos? Get there input. David I. ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "Fred Sturm" <fssturm@unm.edu> To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org> Received: 10/7/2005 1:42:02 PM Subject: Re: [CAUT] Grease/Oil on upright pressure bar >Hi Andrew, > Probably the only way to remove the grease would be to lower >pitch enough to fit a rag between strings and pressure bar. I would >use a rag dipped in a solvent like mineral spirits and rung out, and >work it back and forth between strings and pressure bar, then fish it >between strings and v-bar. Do a couple unisons at a time. Experiment, >see if it is working for you. You might also want to check to see >that whoever lubed it didn't also loosen the pressure bar screws. See >it there seems to be a reasonable angle of string between speaking >length and the part going under the bar. With as little friction as >you describe, I would get suspicious. > A somewhat similar situation arises with spills of soda, >especially of the cola varieties. A bit of the sticky stuff gets >between strings and v-bar, with an amazingly deadening effect. If you >don't manage to wipe the under side of the string, as well as the >bar, you won't solve the problem. In that case, a damp rag is >necessary. I've fooled with Q-tips, brushes, moving strings back and >forth, and come to the conclusion that unless you actually physically >rub between the string and the bar, you won't get it all. Agraffes >are worse, because you can't easily remove the string, though you can >move the sticky part of the string out of the agraffe. > Which is the answer to a question you didn't ask, but at least >it's a question I know an answer for <g>. >Regards, >Fred Sturm >University of New Mexico >fssturm@unm.edu >On Oct 7, 2005, at 6:35 AM, Andrew Anderson wrote: >> Most do have evidence of lubricant to a greater or lesser degree. >> The one that was the worst, so far, had terrible unisons when I got >> to it. (I think the lubricant got all the way to the bridge in the >> treble.) >> >> The pin block is tight, the pins are "springy". The average >> humidity is 60% Rh right now. In Laredo there aren't any mountains >> between us and the cost so it doesn't get terribly dry relative- >> humidity-wise. Think south-Texas. >> >> So, this is a foreign substance. What is the least damaging way to >> get it out? I've mentally debated trickling various solvents down >> the wires over the bar into a rag below. I don't like that idea. >> Another that came to mind is using the heat gun to mobilize it with >> heat and forced air out of that position. That also has its >> drawbacks, maybe less so than the first idea. Anyone have tested >> ideas or want to hazard some opinions? >> >> PRN =/= as needed >> TAMIU = Texas A & M International University >> >> Andrew Anderson >> >> >> At 07:59 PM 10/6/2005, you wrote: >> >>> Sorry for my ignorance but explain: PRN? TAMIU? If all of >>> the Bostons, or majority of them have this stuff...sounds like >>> someone lubed them. The factory isn't going put something in the >>> piano that attracts dust/dirt. These are basically Kawais. You >>> could have dried out pinblocks...Texas. Seems to me Avery can >>> talk you through this... >>> >>> David I. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- >>> From: "Andrew Anderson" <andrew@andersonmusic.com> >>> To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org> >>> Received: 10/6/2005 5:24:07 PM >>> Subject: [CAUT] Grease/Oil on upright pressure bar >>> >>> >>> >Hi, >>> >I'm tuning on a PRN basis for TAMIU here in Laredo. They finally >>> >decided their black cages full of warbling songbirds and howling >>> >seals needed a little discipline. (The grands are better, 50 to 80 >>> >cents sharp on the top octave though, every piano.) >>> >>> >They have a bunch of Boston uprights (UP-125 II) that are proving >>> >quite annoying. There is very little discernable friction between >>> >the tuning pin and the speaking portion of the wire. I got >>> >suspicious, went to the restroom and got some white paper. Swiped >>> >the wires, yellow stuff, swiped the underside of the pressure bar, >>> >more yellow stuff. Not very thick, but collecting dust anyway. >>> When >>> >I massaged the wires with the beat suppressor after the first pitch >>> >correction pass I noticed that the wires were collecting a little >>> >dust too, sticky. ... These are fairly new pianos, couple years >>> at most. >>> >>> >When I say low-friction, I mean I can put my little hammer vertical >>> >on a pin and walk a unison above and below tune without stressing >>> my pinky. >>> >>> >Is this normal? Making unisons stable is a bit of a chore. No >>> >wonder they were warbling & howling. Do they come from the factory >>> >this way? or did one of the past piana toonas oil everything up? >>> >>> >Over lubricated in Laredo, >>> >Andrew >>> >>> >_______________________________________________ >>> >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >>> _______________________________________________ >>> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> >_______________________________________________ >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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