Decal masking

[Frank Weston]

Ted,

I have seen many attempts at "decal masking", and in my opinion, they were
all failures.  The surest way is to buy and apply a new decal.

The only possible way to get a matching finish without removing the decal
is to carefully remove only the top layers of shellac or lacquer on the
fallboard, and then refinish.  It the finish is shellac, careful rubbing
with alcohol might do the trick.  If lacquer, use a cabinet scraper and
hope for the best.  If all fails see my recommendation in the first
paragraph.

Good luck.

Frank Weston

----------
> From: Ted Simmons <ted@palmnet.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Decal masking
> Date: Thursday, April 30, 1998 2:05 PM
> 
> I'll be ready this weekend to refinish a piano I'm rebuilding.  I'd like
to
> keep the fallboard decal intact.  Does anyone have any suggestions on
> masking the present decal so I can strip the remainder of the fallboard?
> What works best?
> 
> Ted Simmons
> Merritt Island, FL
>