Discussion Posts

It will probably be a couple weeks before I get this piano back. Thanks for all the great suggestions. Stay tuned.. Paul James Kelly A serial number would help to pin-point the year . It may have been out of the Rochester Aeolian factory that ...

A serial number would help to pin-point the year . It may have been out of the Rochester Aeolian factory that was making Chickerings, Knabes, Mason & Hamlins. Try cutting out a section of the backrail felt and soften it up with needles and fabric softener ...

Dave said: " If the client calls Mapes,  they will be told what was actually the cost of the string.  This opens up a whole  rats nest of ethical question in the clients mind." I don't think so. First, I've never met a client that actually knows ...

Paul, other than mentioning the ivory keys, you didn't say how old the piano is.We can assume it's pre-WWII? If it has all original parts it's likely there isn't any moving part that isn't looser than it should be. As mentioned, even if the keys are making ...

The Start time for this Seminar is now 7:30 EDT QUICK IMPROVEMENTS FOR NICE GRANDS - Eric Johnson, RPT Come explore some (relatively) quick steps that can be taken to (hopefully) dramatically improve a decent quality grand piano's touch and tone. ...

The Start time for this Seminar is now 7:30 EDT QUICK IMPROVEMENTS FOR NICE GRANDS - Eric Johnson, RPT Come explore some (relatively) quick steps that can be taken to (hopefully) dramatically improve a decent quality grand piano's touch and tone. ...

I had a customer who ordered his own strings, and of course, since he didn't know how they were numbered, ordered the wrong ones and had to order them again. And had to pay me the first service call to come out to install them, only to find out they ...

Thanks to all who responded. There seems to be universal dislike for teflon spray. I have McLube 444, but it has a strong odor and I don't like using it in customer's homes, which is where I do 95% of my work.      James, I'm not familiar with a Cory ...

Agreed...usually not just one thing but a compilation of noise points. I would use VS-Profelt on the key bushings WITHOUT cauls. Let them swell (and soften) and they will return to a little better than they were. Also, as already pointed out, the BR holes ...

But you spent time coming to their home, measuring the string data, ordering it (which isvsomethibgbthe homeowner does NOT know how to do properly, and paying shipping, and coming to install it, and coming back to retune it, etc etc. So, the cost of ...

As with so many things, I think occupational overexposure COULD be a problem,  however if reasonable precautions are taken, Teflon powder ON a surface is hard to consider hazardous.  If you're creating massive dust clouds...that's a different story. ...

It seems obvious that Teflon spray is pretty nasty, as are a lot of aerosols.   But I can't imagine that Teflon powder is dangerous.  I admit I have not researched this but perhaps someone on the list has. As for McLube, that has a pretty strong odor.  ...

I talked to Bucky at Mapes recently about the issue of wholesale vs retail pricing.  Mapes only has one price and anyone can order a string. No trade discounts. Now  that makes it difficult to charge a markup on replacement strings. I do but have to  ...

Paul,  While you are at it, and since you will have to address it, secure the balance rail punchings so they don't fly off and blow them clean with low pressure compressed air and then replace the balance rail cloth punchings. Also, make sure the key ...

I think I recall that these are noisy actions to begin with. The rep springs might be too strong which forces the key down harder too. Change the back rail felt. It's a tough job but some's gotta do it. ------------------------------ Regards, Jon Page ...

Thanks very much for the suggestions. I'll tackle it when I get it back in the shop. Paul Jon Page: I had a customer with a noisy back rail on a M&H. I cut the rear of the back rail loose to no avail. Changing the felt made the difference. There is ...

I had a customer with a noisy back rail on a M&H. I cut the rear of the back rail loose to no avail. Changing the felt made the difference. There is only one road to go down. ------------------------------ Regards, Jon Page mailto:jonpage@comcast.net ...

Paul I agree with Jon The keys are bouncing off the back rail. You need to solve that problem. I realize this will take a lot of other work, but it might be worth it in the long run. ------------------------------ Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT Mililani, HI ...

Thanks Jon. The felt is quite hard. Glued on the forward edge, sort of. It's not loose in the middle. No underfelt. I"m reluctant to change it because it will mean a complete redo of the action frame felt, leveling, etc. Difficult to get the exact ...

Is the back rail felt old and compressed? Glued at the back edge? Under felt? ------------------------------ Regards, Jon Page mailto:jonpage@comcast.net http://www.pianocapecod.com ------------------------------

Somehow, I got this baby grand Chickering piano.  French leg style, ivory keys.  Nice little music box.  I tried to consign this to a dealer in LA, whose clients are musicians and producers.  He was concerned because when you let go of a key rapidly, ...

Hexacore = Universal Strings. The core wire of universal strings is hexagonal so that you can unwind the copper wrap as far as needed, and the hex core keeps the wrap tight. Custom strings have core wire which is roughened or swaged at the ends only. ...

CBL...👍 Pwg ------------------------------ Peter Grey Stratham NH 603-686-2395 pianodoctor57@gmail.com ------------------------------

Exactly right. Yat Lam Hong called them "down right" and "down left" loops. I still say it to myself as I'm doing it.  There are otger variations but this is what I use all the time.  Pwg ------------------------------ Peter Grey Stratham NH 603-686-2395 ...

CBL ------------------------------ Regards, Jon Page mailto:jonpage@comcast.net http://www.pianocapecod.com ------------------------------

Yes, James, maybe some polish like Flitz?

Every once in a long while I run across one of these Wurlitzer studios. Aside from the "Uniplate" moniker you wouldn't think it any different from an average studio size vertical from this era. (1928) When you start to tune it however it feels substantially ...

There's good information about Hexacore strings on https://my.ptg.org/communities/community-home/digestviewer/viewthread?GroupId=45&MID=632905 They are emergency toolkit strings https://www.fletcher-newman.co.uk/index.php?l=product_list&c=110 that ...

I do know how to string splice and have done so many times, but never so low in the bass section were the gauge of wire is so heavy.  Also, many years ago while learning how to splice wires, Dewey Rex demonstrated the principal to me using electrical ...

What is Hexacore? ------------------------------ Gary Howell Buckeye Piano Tuning Massillon OH ------------------------------

Avoid using the teflon spray and use a good metal polish followed by the pro-lube spray from Cory. Another approach is to use McLube. Pianotek just sent a newsletter that explains some of the McLube products. ------------------------------ James Kelly ...

I wanted to thank you all so much for the help and good sound advise. I met with them last night and as soon as they get money together, they are going to recover all the keys. Nice to note that the piano is going to be handed down to the persons granddaughter, ...

She claims that absolutely no cleaning has been done on the piano. Today was the first day she touched it (she claims) in many months. She was mystified as to why it no longer made her fingers black.  Servicemaster cleaned up the house. I don't know ...

I think that we have learned enough about how C-19 is transmitted that masks and social distancing suffice in most instances. Nevertheless, when I schedule an appointment, several days before the appointment I email the customer a confirmation that includes ...

Thanks, Benjamin. Keith Akins, RPT Piano Technologist 715/775-0022 Mon-Sat 9a-9p www.akinspianocraft.com Find me on LinkedIn

It's on the DVD that runs from 1979-2010. That's still for sale, and an insanely good deal at that. ------------------------------ Nathan Monteleone Fort Worth TX 817-675-9494 nbmont@gmail.com ------------------------------

Having had a shop fire with $120k of soot damage (no structural damage), I have noticed in the first years, after the cleanup, that the nasty smell of soot seems to have a half life or something like that. Ozone I think also breaks down chemical bonds ...

Peter: Soot is poison. It has the same carincogenic substance as tobacco smoke and roofing tar. It is good news that the owner had the house cleaned. I hope that was done by an expert in dealing with hazardous materials. Soot is only slightly less dangerous ...

As a bibliophile I generally know how to find books, but I don't see a copy for sale at the used metasearch engines I frequently use: bookfinder.com or used.addall.com. I see two copies on Worldcat that lists the library copies closest to me, but I'm ...

I know this subject has been dealt with here before but this is slightly different.  A propane fired "fireplace"unit backed up and blew soot all over the house and particularly in the room where the piano is (piano located right next to the unit). This ...

I have already mentioned that to the unfortunate colleague who had no backups. But that is a definite lesson for anyone reading this who does not have serious backup for their valuable data. (My colleague lost all his contacts, as well) Thanks for ...

If you are not doing it already I highly recommend having a subscription to an automatic backup service such as Carbonite. It has saved me more than once. ------------------------------ James Kelly Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service Pawleys Island SC 843-325-4357 ...

An excellent approach, Alan.

Hi, Sheffey I saw a TV documentary about how toxic teflon is, and how it cannot be broken down once in the environment. I replaced my teflon powder with 100% talcum powder, and handed in the ...

Greetings, Most of my time working as a piano technician is spent in a conservatory environment. For those of us that choose to take a more cautious approach to entering people's homes and other spaces to service pianos these days, here is a something ...

Hi Sheffey, I have not used the product you are inquiring about. Please consider instead using liquid (i. e., non-aerosol) McLube, applied with a pipe cleaner as per Fred Sturm's method. It is safer for the user and the environment, and is much less ...

Has anyone used Du Pont Multi-Use lubricant, a teflon spray?  Thinking of using it on key pins in place of Elmer's Slide-All, which is no longer available. Thanks, ------------------------------ Sheffey Gregory, RPT ------------------------------

Just to be clear, Blaine... These are not spreadsheets but a book titled The Calculating Technician. My friend used formulas and values from that book in spreadsheets he developed for scaling. So, what he needed were some formulas to re-populate his spreadsheets. ...

Thanks so much, Gary. Keith Akins, RPT Piano Technologist 715/775-0022 Mon-Sat 9a-9p www.akinspianocraft.com Find me on LinkedIn

What we've seen is staining from additives in hand sanitizing wipes, gels, and liquids that students may use on pianos: Vitamin E, aloe, and ethylene glycol. All of those can be removed, though it may take extra effort to do so. I've been able to remove ...