Hammer Softener

[Horace Greeley]

Keith,

If the softener dried as quickly as Supertone does, it would not be
defelting the felt, but probably destroying the fibers.

One way to accelerate the process is to build a drying box (powered by
50watt DamppChasers).  The box only needs to be big enough to accomodate
the largest stack you anticipate servicing.  Mine is just large enough for
an Imperial stack, and is heated by 4 50watt units.  Drying time varies
dramatically with what the wetting agent, the hardener/softener is, the
strength of the solution, and ambient conditions.  (It is also a great way
to get a verdegrised stack ready for Proteck, etc.)

Horace


>>A leading American manufacturer states in their service manual-- for
>>a softer tone, 25% water to 75% metanol. . For a brighter tone
>>100-200 grams of keytop material (acrylic??) to 1 gallon of acetone.
>>(little under 4 liters)
>
>Currently I am experimenting with a hammer softener product from Pianotek.
>I have done two different relatively new hammer brands.  Each responded
>differently in the degree of softness achieved with each application.  One
>brand needed only one application for the desired results, the other brand,
>two applications
>
>I am satisfied that hammer softener definitely has its place for certain
>jobs, but it takes quite awhile to completely dry.  If it only dried as
>quickly as Supertone does, that would be great.
>
>Keith A. McGavern
>kam544@ionet.net
>Registered Piano Technician
>Oklahoma Chapter 731
>Piano Technicians Guild
>Oklahoma Baptist University
>Shawnee, Oklahoma, USA




Horace Greeley			hgreeley@leland.stanford.edu

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