A remedy for Verdigris

[Alan Barnard]

Interesting. Won't the pin become a rather permanent feature of the whippen? Or, by coated, do you mean with Vasolene or something else the epoxy won't grab onto?

Maybe epoxy isn't the only answer: Aren't there a variety of wood sealers and waterproofing agents that might penetrate and seal the pores and veins in that wood?

Alan Barnard
Salem, MO




Original message
From: erwinspiano at aol.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 3/14/2008 7:45:02 PM
Subject: A remedy for Verdigris


 Hey all
 I know ...I know there is no remedy for verdigris .... except a new parts transplant... but the other day my 83 year old Dad & I were looking a perfectly useable set of vintage Steinway wippens except for the mild case of creeping green crud so, We were lamenting having to toss a beautiful set of original Steinway wippens in the trash. We started brainstorming how we could solve this given the contamination is in the wood.  Now I know many of us have re-pinned & re- bushed ...put on new flanges etc. & in the end all for nothing as it returns, But with a good set of wippens approaching 1000 bucks the idea has my attention.
  I told my Dad I was thinking about how to cut out the birds eye & then machine a new insert with birds eye & all. My thought was that if the new insert was put in with epoxy that this would act as a verdigris barrier from entering back into the new wood. Then My Pops says "why not just coat the existing birds eye with epoxy & slide a coated pin thru the hole to seal up the exposed inner wood which should prove de a barrier to any further contamination". Then pin on new flanges. I thought the idea had merit.
  I mean for a few short hours of pinning & coating an original set of beautifully made & machined  maple wippens could be preserved & re-used at any level of performance required. 
  How bout some discussion.
  Dale
  



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