Skolnik: "Anyone know the active ingredients of VS Profelt?"
Essentially water, some type of fabric softener, and a bit of silicone oil, in some kind of liquid vehicle, best I have been able to determine (partly from evaporating it to see what the residue is, partly from the way it behaves/smells/etc.). If you are thinking of using it to tighten action centers, think again. Someone once posted that Profelt would do that, and so just to be sure that what I "knew" to be the case really was true, I did the experiment, taking some fairly loose (1 - 2 gm) centers and dosing them. Next day they were 0 gm. I don't know the proportion of Profelt's ingredients, but suspect it is more than half water. It would do to loosen centers, but probably over-loosen. Better to have a formula you can control.
As for tightening key bushings, against a caul, the tightening action of water in any form is caused simply swelling the felt to take up space (individual fibers swell in cross section and straighten somewhat. All fibers are acting at the same time and become fixed in a new matrix, limited by the caul that was inserted). If the space is tightly confined, like in action centers, that swelling results in additional felting, because the fibers don't have space and opportunity to "stretch out," and when the fibers dry out and shrink, the result is a looser fit.
So if you want to swell the center bushings to make them tighter when pinned, you need to remove the pin first. VS Profelt would work for that, but probably too high a proportion of water for most cases. Note that if you apply Profelt to key bushings without inserting a caul, they will swell beyond where you wanted them to (and quite possibly come unglued and fall out).
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Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
http://fredsturm.net "When I smell a flower, I don't think about how it was cultivated. I like to listen to music the same way." -Federico Mompou
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-31-2014 04:51
From: David Skolnik
Subject: 'Controlled' alcohol-water application
Dear Susan, all -
Sorry to wake you. I misspoke/wrote. While I no longer have the paperwork (never a good idea), I'm sure it's ethanol that I'm currently using, not methanol. I, too, will explore the local 'package store' option for 190 proof supplies. Otherwise, thanks for the clarification. As for flame suit, not sure if it was for any ensuing discussion or advised for use with 190 proof product. I will experiment and take notes.
I'm not discounting anyone else's experience, either with off-the-shelf product or magical breath. I do wonder if it might be possible to combine Susan's method with Ed McM's by first drinking product and then breathing on action center. This will also take much experimentation. Someone else will have to take notes, and also drive home.
Phil... Regarding removing a parts from rail, I said
I don't have the application control I want to feel confident of the experiment unless I've un-mounted part from rail
so I basically agree with you. I have some degree of wonderment about the possibility that, by refining the ratio of the solution, along the lines of what I had initially mentioned and then, in his response,Benjamin R had posted: 5% water in ethanol, then 10%, and then 15%, it might be possible to make an informed and efficient effort without having to dis-mount parts. I'm not there yet
As for Jim I's initial question, which was being addressed more specifically in the 'rep lever pinning' thread, we'd need to find some apply-able solution that will swell bushings in an equally controlled way, without the subsequent shrinking. Anyone know the active ingredients of VS Profelt?
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David Skolnik
Hastings-on-Hudson NY
914-231-7565
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