A River Ran Through It

[Wimblees@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-02-05 23:20:26 EST, you write:

>Today, I was asked by an insurance company to look at a water-damaged
>1989 Kimball Viennese grand. I was the second technician to be hired,
>the first having given an extremely high bid, several thousand dollars.
>For the record, the first tech was not a PTG member.
>
>The jacuzzi upstairs had sprung a leak in a pressure line. The water ran
>from the point of the leak to an opening in the ceiling below for a fire
>sprinkler. That's right, there was a fire sprinkler directly over the
>piano (you know, in case of spontaneous combustion).
>
>So, last December, water had dripped down on to the music desk at the
>rate of about 16 ounces per minute, spilled from the tray into the plate
>webbing of the two treble tuning pin areas, thence into the
>corresponding sections of the action and, presumably, out the "keybed
>drain" (hole for shift lever).
>
>Everything is now dry and in remarkably good shape. No keys or action
>parts are sticking. There is some unevenness of hammer swings but it was
>probably that way before. The only rust is on the strings (mostly around
>tuning pins). The music desk tray felt became unglued. The piano is very
>out of tune. I cannot find anything else wrong and I'm concerned that I
>have overlooked something major.
>
>Anyone have ideas of what to look for?
>
>Tom


Tom:

The biggest concern would be the damage the water caused to the pin block. The
lamination seperate very easy after they have become wet.  The second concern
is the rust that is now on the strings, especially around the tuning pins.
Rust will eat away at the strings, and even though the strings are not broken
now, in a couple of years they will break. The action probably did not suffer
any lasting damage because of the water. I have seen water damaged actions
that dried out with no probelm what so ever. 

My recommedation would be to replace the pin block and strings. 

Willem Blees RPT
St. Louis