Don; I did not see this second reply to my post to Keith before I posted to the list and I would like to point out a few things. 1. I never said there was a finish that was 100% impervious to air and moisture. 2. What I said was that wood under a polyester finish can not breathe as we know it. 3. After many years of dealing with older finishes, polyester and laquer, that have cracked and released from the wood subsurface I find that this is certainly "the least bit true" and I believe that it will prove true in most cases before polyester loses its appeal and or current favor. I love polyester finishes, but they are not perfect. 4. "It angers me to read such an incorrect, blanket statement unfounded in fact." Don everything I said was as the result of experience in dealing with wood and polyester. Pianos are not the only thing with a polyester finish that develops cracks and the reason is usually release of the subsurface due to expansion and contraction. Ask your friendly boat builder,or car builder, about this. For example I have a Kawai (20 years old) in the shop now for repair/rebuild and the fallbaord music rack and lid are manufactured substrate, there are no cracks in the finish of these parts. The finish on the rim of the case is heavily cracked and it is wood (laminated of course). I don't know about formulations or applications, I only know what I see in front of me. This is fact and not "unfounded". Nothing is true all the time Don. 5. Perhaps my choice of "high grade particle board" is what you are upset about. I used the term first and soley for the reason that some might not have known what manufactured substrate is. I suppose that this was a poor choice of words, but all other references to this was to manufactured substrate. 6. "There is no particle board used." Don are you saying that there is no particle board, or other wood substitute, used in the manufacture of Young Changs ? 7. "It is irresponsible to identify materials based on the weight of a lid!" Don I absolutely agree that it would be irresponsible to do so. However my identification of materials is based on repairs to lids of various manufacturers,i.e. Young Chang, Kawai, Yamaha, Samick, Steinway etc., split, cracked dented, etc., and not based on weight. 8. "Keep in mind that satin finishes are also often polyester - one shouldn't single out high gloss only as being polyester." Don the question was asked about Gloss finishes and that is how the answer was directed. Evidently I touched upon some nerve or sore point of yours and if so I apologize. I answered Keith with my opinion based on my experience and knowledge without malice toward anyone or any manufacturer. As a matter of fact I closed my post with an invitation for some Manfacturers Rep to jump in and explain the reasoning better than me. I don't feel that anything I said deserved the wording in the reply you made to Keith and certainly did not deserve being taken out of context the way you did. Jim Bryant (FL)
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