Damp action drying

[Roger Jolly]

>To: pianotech@ptg.org
>From: Roger Jolly <baldyam@sk.sympatico.ca>
>Subject: Re:  Re: Damp Action Drying
>In-Reply-To: <Pine.PCW.3.91.970922121517.8151A-100000@ppp1-20.inre.asu.edu>
>References: <970921190208_316160461@emout20.mail.aol.com>
>
>At 12:36 PM 9/22/97 -0700, you wrote:
>>Hi Jim:
>>
>>I finally decided to show up in this discussion of solutions for 
>>treating sluggish flanges.
>>
>>When I worked for Baldwin, I came back from a trip all excited about
>>LPS #1. I went to our top Quality Control man who wasn't overly excited
>>about my find. He placed a spot of the solution on a blotter on a mild 
>>heating plate and waited until all of the carrier flashed off. Then 
>>he said to me: "this residue is what will eventually get you into 
>>trouble." He was aware of the Steinway parafin oil treatment and all the
>>ensuing problems years later. He is the one who invented the Methanol/
>>water/ivory soap combination for treatment of flanges. It works like 
>>this: the methanol (alcohol) thins the water and breaks down surface
>>tension so that the water can soak in completely and swell the bushing
>>cloth (Oh yes, it also slightly swells the wood of the flange too),
>>which causes the wool to fit the pin smoothly (like ironing), then the
>>water evaporates out, the wool shrinks, and the fit ends up with less
>>torque resistance. More water will shrink more. The Ivory soap helps
>>wash out impurities which may have remained after the bushing cloth was
>>thoroughly washed prior to flange making.
>>
>>That's all I remember about the process. "That's all I have to say about
>>that."
>>
>>Jim Coleman, Sr.
>>
>>On Sun, 21 Sep 1997 JIMRPT@aol.com wrote:
>>
>>> Susan, Warren, et al;
>>>   S&S did indeed dip  "some" of their flanges in a hot parrafin/tallow
after
>>> they were  bushed, I would assume from my examining many verdegris
bushings.
>>>  However they were not the only makers to do so in an attempt to solve the
>>> problem of moisture related sluggishness/sticking.  Most often the
flanges to
>>> be treated such were the hammer flange and the rep lever flange.  Quite
often
>>> you will find an instrument with almost solidly stuck up flanges in one
place
>>> but absolutely free flanges in another.  
>>>   Any organic/petroleum based product will cause verdegris to form
including
>>> parrafin, tallow, mineral spirits, gasoline, mineral oil etc., etc..
In my
>>> opinion it is not a question of 'if' it will form but rather 'when' it
will
>>> form.
>>>  There used to be a very excellent technician in town who swore by mineral
>>> spirits as being "the thing" to use on pianos for lubrication.  This tech
>>> would "lubricate thoroughly" any action that made it to his shop.  Well he
>>> has been dead about 15 years now and we are seeing more and more of his
>>> lubricated actions showing up with little green waxy growths coming out
from
>>> the centerpins in most of the flanges on the action...............
>>> This is a test to see if you were paying attention... :-) Where do you
think
>>> this green stuff is coming from, what is it , and why does it show up
on his
>>> customers pianos to a much greater extent than on others of similar
make age
>>> and condition?
>>>   Circumstantial??, perhaps so but it also is not coincidence Huh?
>>> Jim Bryant (FL)
>>> 
>>
>>
Roger Jolly
University of Saskatchewan
Dept. of Music.