key bushing miracle stuff

[Mike Morvan]

Tom,
    The intention of my reply to your post was not to question the 
"wholeheartedness" of a trusted colleague, nor to discount the good 
intentions of your post and I'm sorry if it came out that way. I was simply 
trying to state some information that I have accumulated over the years in 
dealing with bushings on a daily basis. Please let me try a different 
approach.
     It has been my experience that  "if a set of keys needs balance rail 
bushings badly, and the sharps rock back and forth big time" then they 
should be replaced. Especially if you factor in the quality of cloth these 
days. If the bushings are worn, they are worn. The cloth is eroded and it is 
not only eroded, it is also GONE. It is not simply compressed, it is GONE.
    Lightly steaming the bushings will give the same temporary effect that 
can be achieved with VS Profelt, without adding the damaging properties of 
embalming the mortises with irremovable silicone.
    Silicone will impregnate the wood and prevent ANY glue from adhering to 
the mortise in the future, ultimately requiring button and mortise 
replacement, at great expense. Silicone is a big no no.
    It has been my experience (because I used to do it) that lightly 
steaming bushings will swell them a bit and take up some slack, but again, 
the cloth is not only worn and eroded, it is also gone, and the cloth will 
compress back to it's worn state with some use.  Mike
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Sivak" <tvaktvak at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 9:31 PM
Subject: Re: key bushing miracle stuff


> Mike
>
> We'll have to see.  Bob at Pianotech says it's not
> temporary, but the key bushing job I did with it was
> last week, so all I can tell you is that it will last
> at least a week!
>
> I should mention that this tip was passed along to me
> from another tech who has been using it longer than I.
> I would assume if it were temporary, he would not
> have so wholeheartedly recommended the stuff to me.
>
> Time will tell.
>
> Tom Sivak
>
> --- Mike Morvan <keymaestro at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>> Tom,
>>     There is NO miracle stuff or silver bullets in
>> this business. Lightly
>> steaming the bushings will give you the same
>> temporary effect you achieved
>> with VS Profelt without the damaging properties of
>> embalming the mortises
>> with irremovable silicone. If the bushings are worn
>> they are worn, the cloth
>> is eroded. Cloth is very hygroscopic and will swell
>> readily with liquids but
>> will assume their eroded shape quickly with some
>> play. It is a very
>> inexpensive quick fix though. Just my two cents.
>> Mike
>>
>> Blackstone Valley piano
>> Michael A. Morvan
>> 76 Sutton Street
>> Uxbridge, Ma 01569
>> (508) 278-9762
>> www.pianoandorgankeys.com
>> www.thepianorebuilders.com
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Tom Sivak" <tvaktvak at sbcglobal.net>
>> To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
>> Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 7:15 PM
>> Subject: key bushing miracle stuff
>>
>>
>> > List
>> >
>> > It isn't often that I can contribute anything that
>> I
>> > think worthy of you all.   Perhaps you all know
>> about
>> > this VS Profelt stuff, but it's new to me and it
>> has
>> > saved me two bushing jobs so far.
>> >
>> > I had a Kawai vertical that needed new balance
>> rail
>> > key bushings, badly.  Sharps especially rocked
>> back
>> > and forth, big time.   I removed the keys, applied
>> VS
>> > Profelt to the bushings, inserted my Spurlock
>> bushing
>> > cauls and let them set over night.   Next day, the
>> key
>> > bushings were perfect.  There was not even any
>> > variation from one to the next.  They were all
>> > perfect.
>> >
>> > I spoke with Bob at Pianotech and he said that it
>> > relaxes the felt and also contains silicone which
>> > lubricates the felt.  He said he had a set of key
>> > bushings in which some were too tight, and some
>> were
>> > too loose, and after an application of this stuff,
>> > they were all PERFECT.
>> >
>> > I also used VS Profelt on damper rail guide
>> bushings
>> > on a M&H AA in which the dampers were bobbling
>> side to
>> > side, forward to back, like little wooden
>> > jacks-in-the-box.   I applied the liquid, put in
>> > number 8 bridge pins for a "caul", and the next
>> day,
>> > voila!  Like new.
>> >
>> > This stuff saved me hours of work.   Not only are
>> the
>> > results great, but I can now make improvements on
>> some
>> > of my clients' pianos where money is an issue.  I
>> > don't even bring up key bushing replacement on
>> some
>> > pianos even if it needs it desperately.   Now, I
>> can
>> > suggest upgrading the key bushing situation at a
>> more
>> > reasonable cost.
>> >
>> > Tom Sivak
>> > Chicago
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>
>