Bill, I have been thoroughly talked out of trying to smuggle lacquer on this trip. It's just not worth the hassle. Your alternative solutions, though, are worth keeping in mind. I never thought about nail polish and nail remover...basically similar stuff with a different name. Anyhow it's Bon Voyage as of this coming Saturday. Tour raps up Oct. 15. Talk to y'all when I return. Tom Servinsky, RPT ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Ballard" <yardbird@pop.vermontel.net> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002 8:36 AM Subject: Re: lacquer solutions and airline travel > At 8:08 PM -0700 8/27/02, David Ilvedson wrote: > >Yeah, what a great idea...and if you get stopped I'd like to hear > >your excuse to the Feds... > > I don't know about you, but at that moment the first thing out of my > mouth wouldn't be a lie. The truth is not an excuse. The whole truth > is the whole truth. > > With all due respect, David, this is a calculated risk, one in the > "enormous consequences at negligible risk" category. On the one hand > you have the clear need as a professional for this material. > (Certainly you can't anticipate the number of pianos you'll arrive on > this 6 week tour, which will need it. As a result, you can't > anticipate the total number of fluid ounces you'll use during the six > weeks. But let's assume that 8 oz. will get you through.) That > professional need would include having the stuff ready to use, as > soon as you first hit the new piano. > > You weigh that against the chance of discovery, either because some > sort of sniffer (canine or electronic) smells ketone vapors coming > from your suitcase or because you fell on the wrong side of > somebody's terrorist profile. Which if you go about your business as > if it's nobody else's business. > > As I said, it's a situation of "enormous consequences at negligible > risk". I live thirty miles north of an aging nuke, and should the > event of negligible risk happen, I'd be just as bad off as the folks > living right across the street from it (whose property taxes have > been subsidized by it for 30 years). And not much better off than > those living 100 miles away. But I face a greater chance of death > when I climb into my automobile each morning. I'm sure you have this > involvement with "enormous consequences at negligible risk" in your > life. > > The facts of the matter should be no surprise to you or anyone. The > solvents are flammable, and have been illegal on airplanes for years. > And the chances of being caught have risen sharply since 9/11. So if > you're serious in your need to have this material on hand at each of > the many stops on your tour, and if the risk of getting caught is > unacceptable, you don't even ask the question. > > Your alternatives are 1.) traveling with straight lacquer only (less > flammable and less aromatic), and thinner it with from a pint of > acetone bought and left at each stop, 2.) buying at each stop the > largest quantity of clear nail polish and nail polish remover (most > likely, 3 or 4 oz. in each material), or simply throwing a can of > nitro-based hairspray into your suitcase. (Ben McKlveen has a great > story on that one.) > > Are you doing the tour under contract with somebody's management? > Write them a letter, explaining that this material is a necessary > part of the service which they have contracted you for. (The letter > won't go into how you intend to have them on hand for each stop, but > you can make it clear verbally which alternative is the best, > strictly from a professional standpoint of getting the job done.) > Management will probably run it by legal, who will say concur that it > is a legitimate part of your business. > > Again, I assumed that because you asked the question, you were > considering the primary option. As for the summer of '67, I had a big > smile on my face which lasted for 8-10 weeks. <g> > > Respectfully, > > Bill Ballard RPT > NH Chapter, P.T.G. > > "Blessed are the cynical, > for they hath made backups." > ...........anon > +++++++++++++++++++++
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC