glueing controversy

[robert sadowski]

List,
     I've heard of a liquid that you "paint" on the key pins that drys to a
slippery coating.  Anybody know about this?
Bob Sadowski RPT
Erie,PA

----------
> From: Delwin D Fandrich <pianobuilders@olynet.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: glueing controversy
> Date: Friday, September 19, 1997 11:30 PM
> 
> Newton Hunt wrote:
> > 
> > I have wished for some heat shrink tubing with Teflon like qualities to
> > be use on such.
> > 
> > Alfred Knight had some balance pins that had a Teflon sleeve around
them
> > to help reduce friction at the bushings and at the balance hole.  I do
> > not know is Knight continues such practice.
> > 
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Newton,
> 
> Heat shrinkable Teflon tubing is available. I've gotten it in the past
> from electronics distributors—the industrial type, not the Radio Shack
> variety. Various diameters are available. If you’re interested in trying
> any of these ideas, make sure you get Teflon tubing. The other types are
> neither as lubricious nor as tough.
> 
> I've tried it on one set of front rail and one set of balance rail pins
> experimentally. You have to enlarge the balance pin hole in the bottom
> of the key considerably. A modification which is, of course, not easily
> reversible. In this particular case, I had to fix those anyway. It
> didn't produce enough benefit to be worth the trouble. For the front
> rail, I used very thin bushing cloth to allow for the extra thickness of
> the tubing on the key pins. This seemed to provide somewhat more benefit
> and might be worth some real study. One experimental keyset does not
> constitute a viable test. I wonder, though, if some of the modern
> lubricants such as McLube might not provide nearly as much benefit with
> a whole lot less work.
> 
> I've also used shrinkable Teflon tubing on a number of set of Steinway
> type repetition springs. It’s a very reliable method of permanently
> lubricating this friction point. And I do mean permanently. The spring
> setting is much more reliable and consistent. It is not necessary to
> clean out spring groove in the bottom of the repetition lever beyond a
> quick wipe with the tip of a pencil. In fact, half the time I don’t even
> do that.
> 
> —ddf