[pianotech] Voicing with Lacquer addendum

[David Love]

A follow up to the my posting on voicing hammers with lacquer.  

A couple of points to make re lacquers and thinner.  There are different
types of lacquer and some will set up softer than others.  Musical
instrument lacquers such as Behlen produces (Steward MacDonald supplies it
for use on acoustic guitars) are not only more flexible when dry but also
come in a lower solids content (13% rather than a typical 26%).  The
HammerLac that Pianotek sells is also a soft setting lacquer and won't
develop that crystalline tendency that some other lacquers will.  After a
conversation with Bob Marinelli I decided to order some and try it out.  It
seems to be a lower solids mix (though Bob didn't have the exact numbers) as
the dilution required is some less than I suggested in my previous posting.
The lacquers which remain more flexible when dry may have some benefits in
hammers, as one can imagine.  With respect to thinning, higher grade lacquer
thinners (they do come in different grades) will flash off more slowly than
others and much more slowly than acetone which will have benefits for deeper
penetration of the solids content depending on how you apply (side or
shoulder).  I would probably recommend that people use lacquer thinner
generally especially with shoulder applications unless you want more
material to remain closer to the surface.  That can produce an effect which
some might find desirable should you want the attack to have a bit more
shine to it.  The down side is that you can end up with more material near
the surface which can be difficult to manage in some cases.  


David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com