> > From: Terry Farrell <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com> > Date: September 8, 2010 3:36:17 PM EDT > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Subject: Damp-Rid - Applying to Piano > > Hello Esteemed Colleagues, > > Shortly before I arrived to tune a customer's Yamaha G2, she so > kindly decided to clear off the piano for me. Unfortunately, she > apparently had a vat of "Damp-Rid" desiccant on or near the piano > and when she moved it, she managed to spill some (my guess is about > a cup worth) into the piano (collected liquid and some solids). It > spilled near the center of the area behind the music rack - onto the > strings just aft of the dampers, seems to have missed a direct hit > on the hammers, but got the aft end of the wippens. Direct hit zones > include hammer shanks (but not hammers or knuckles), rear end of > wippen assemblies, rear end of keys, backrail felt, damper lift > felt, and keyframe (rear piece). Action parts on maybe 12 to 15 > notes got the direct hit. About 18 notes appear affected. Some > indirect spray seems to have gotten onto 6 to 8 hammers - I don't > think they got the direct hit - I can't really see any of the stuff > on there, but when you rub those hammers with your fingers, your > fingers get sorta sticky. The liquid ran all the way down the wippen > action rail. > > The piano is in reasonable shape and is worth putting a few $$ into > to fix this. I figure about 18 wippens, affected back rail cloth and > damper lift felt need to be replaced. Hammer shanks, action rail, > keys and keyframe can be cleaned (the wooden parts will retain some > residual gunk, but I'm hoping that won't be a problem). > > Any thoughts on residual anhydrous calcium chloride on wooden parts? > Thoughts on small amounts of anhydrous calcium chloride on hammers? > > I can't imagine how to wash hammers - don't think you really want to > do that - at least not in water. Anhydrous calcium chloride is > readily soluble in water and alcohol. I wonder about alcohol? Any > thoughts on washing hammers in some way with alcohol, and what > effects that may have? > > I wonder about the strings at the location of the spill - I guess I > can wipe them down with a damp rag - there is rust at the spill > location. I wonder if any gunk is left on hammers, is that going to > corrode the strings there? > > I guess I can just go ahead and take my best stab at drawing lines > on what should be replaced, cleaned, etc., but I have to admit that > I'd be making a whole bunch of decisions with very little > confidence. Any thoughts would sure be appreciated. > > Terry Farrell > > > > > Below is close-up of affected area. > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20100908/c5e74618/attachment-0001.htm> -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: P9080004.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 153323 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20100908/c5e74618/attachment-0002.jpg> -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: P9080001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 143739 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20100908/c5e74618/attachment-0003.jpg>
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