WD40

[David Boyce]

On Monday I tuned the old birdcage upright of a work colleague.  This is the 
sole piano on which I have ever used WD40 on the action.

I first tuned it about eight years ago. When I came to it, the action was 
extremely sluggish, with notes just not repeating, and keys staying down. 
When I pulled the action out to look at the centres, I found that at some 
time in the past, the centres had all had been oiled.
Moving a hammer flange with my finger, it moved with an evil slow oleaginous 
resistance. I  could see sludge around the bushings.

What to do?  The piano was cetainly not worth repinning and rebushing.  I 
suggested to my colleague and her husband that, as the piano was virtually 
unplayable as it was, I could try WD40 to see if it would re-liquify the old 
oil that had dried to varnish consistency, and at least get the action 
moving, presuming that the wood of the flanges had not swollen.

They agreed to try this.  It was spectacularly sucessful.  I had to do a 
large pitch raise, so went back in a few days to fine tune, and advised them 
to let the kids and their friends play as much as possible.  The action 
completely freed up!  And, free it has remained in the years since, with no 
fiurther applications needed.

So, while I would never ever in normal circumstances put WD40 near an 
action, in this case it did just what was needed.

David.