"blotchy" soundboard

[gordon stelter]

Could the blotchy appearance be where, for some
reason, the finish wore through and the Howard's
soaked into the wood? Hope not.
     I wear a  gas mask and use naptha on steel wool
on filthy sound boards, and mop it up with rags and
paper towells. Cleans off most gunk, but will not
remove finish. Neither will mineral spirits, but it
evaporates more slowly.
     Thump



--- David Ilvedson <ilvey@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> Terry,
> 
> You might want to experiment on the darker areas and
> see if they get lighter with a little more cleaning.
>   I have cleaned many soundboards with just a damp
> rag and many times the board has stains in different
> areas.   I think of it as patina...if they had only
> used a string cover...;-]
> 
> David Ilvedson
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original message
> ----------------------------------------
> From: pianolover 88 <pianolover88@hotmail.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Received: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 18:04:05 -0800
> Subject: "blotchy" soundboard
> 
> 
> >I'm restringing my customer's 1926 Wurly Baby
> grand. After removing all the 
> >old wire and pins, I began the lengthy
> cleaning/detailing process. This had 
> >to be just about the dirtiest, dustiest piano I've
> ever encounterd...and 
> >i've seen some pretty bad ones. Anyway, After
> removing and vacuuming the 
> >loose debris from the soundboard, i started
> cleaning the decades of dirt and 
> >grime away, and started to notice that certain
> areas were getting "brighter" 
> >and lighter than others, although I was using
> uniform pressure on the board. 
> >I used (as I always have with excellent results)
> Howard's restore-a-finish, 
> >neutral color, with 0000 steel wool. So now I'm
> left with a very Blotchy, 
> >light/dark soundbaord. I'm not sure if the
> remaining dark areas are just 70+ 
> >years of dirt and grime, or whether it's supposed
> be dark, and that the 
> >lighter areas are the result of too much
> rubbing...I'm pretty sure  it's the 
> >former.
> 
> >I need some recommendations as to what would be the
> most effective cleaner 
> >that would most easily cut through the layers of
> gunk to expose the original 
> >"honey" color?  I was thinking about Murphy's Oil
> soap, but I'm guessing 
> >that won't be strong enough for this job. what
> about some kind of solvent 
> >that will quickly break up the grime, but not harm
> the wood, or varnish, 
> >what's left of it anyway.
> >Also, Any tips for cleaning between hitch pins? I'm
> afraid that a wire brush 
> >will scratch the plate; and a paint brush won't
> remove the almost black 70 
> >year build up; solvent there too? Thanks list!!!
> >Terry Peterson
> 
> 
> >_______________________________________________
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> https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> 



		
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