[CAUT] McLube thoughts

[Don Mannino]

Fred,
 
I would like to disagree a little with both descriptions of the dry
McLube.  The dried McLube 444 residue which I have seen has not seemed
not quite as hard as you have described it.  What I have seen is
somewhat waxy and crumbly, like cool paraffin wax, but neither gummy no
hard as plastic.
 
My experience has been that heavy, repeated application to key pins can
cause the felt to become compacted and hard.  This is not from a single
application, mind you - the only time I have personally seen this
problem was in a piano that was getting a treatment each month by a
tuner who was trying to prevent bushing wear in a crazily heavily used
instrument.  After about a year, the bushings seemed worn out because
the keys had become loose and noisy.  On close inspection, though, the
bushings were not worn, but were compacted and waxy feeling.  After a
quick steam application and inserting sized cauls, the keys were good as
new.  So the McLube seems to have prevented wear, but the bushing was so
hard and compressed that it seemed worn out anyway.
 
I admit that this was an extreme case, so it does not mean that McLube
should never be used on key pins.  I only warn people not to get too
extreme - an application every few years should be no problem at all.
 
I like the performance aspect of McLube 444 on key pins as well - it's
wonderfully slippery stuff.  The main difference between other things
like TFL-50 and Slide All is that these other ones leave a powder when
the liquid dries, rather than the hard waxy coating.
 
I purchased a gallon of liquid McLube here at Kawai, and also a gallon
of the solvent.  Using Schaff's shoe-dauber bottles, you can refill them
indefinitely after a quick rinse with the solvent.  This cuts way down
on the smell of using the aerosol can of McLube.
 
My favorite application for McLube is keyframes and key beds.  It seems
to seal the wood nicely, and makes them quiet and much nicer to slide
the actions in and out during voicing.
 
Don Mannino
 


  _____  

	From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On
Behalf Of Fred Sturm
	Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006 3:06 PM
	To: College and University Technicians
	Subject: Re: [CAUT] Steinway Technical
	
	
	On Aug 3, 2006, at 12:52 PM, Jeff Tanner wrote:


		Well, I don't use it and never have.  I've always just
been leery of it, because every lubricant I've ever used that goes on
wet, eventually gets tacky with age, and I believe I've heard other
technicians testify that they've had similar results using wet
lubricants like McLube and Protek on pins. 

	Hi Jeff,
	
	Mclube definitely won't get tacky with age or leave a gummy
residue. The wet portion is purely a vehicle, and it flashes off
rapidly, leaving a thin coating. You can see that happen when you apply
it. I put some in a 1 oz hypo oiler from Schaff (with the red, rubber
cap for the needle), thinking I'd like to carry some around with me
rather than constantly be going back to the shop for it. I had had good
luck with acetone/keytop staying in those hypos without undue
evaporation, but the McLube was evaporated away in a very short time
(maybe I didn't have the lid quite tight enough). Anyway, what was left
in the bottom was a mm or so of hard, white substance, very similar to
what I scavenged as a sample from the Steinway vats where they dip
flanges. Inert, slippery, no way it would ever be gummy. Hard,
semi-brittle plastic is how I would describe it.
	I am sold on McLube for keypins, capstans, glides, keyframe and
keybed friction points, keyframe return spring, damper wires, under side
of damper underlevers, etc, etc. Great stuff, and well worth the wee bit
of time it takes to apply with a rag or a brush. Lasts well, doesn't
attract any dirt. Not good stuff to be inhaling all the time, but
otherwise, I love it. I won't vouch the same for Protek CPL or for
ProLube, though I do use both all the time with generally good results.
	
	Regards,
	Fred Sturm
	University of New Mexico
	fssturm at unm.edu




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