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Termites!

  • 1.  Termites!

    Posted 03-30-2016 14:18

    Had a new client contact me who had just gotten a "free" Gulbransen baby grand delivered to his house. I arrived to tune it the next day and found huge amounts of termite droppings inside. After inspection from an exterminator, the options are: take the piano to a dump, or get it fumigated. I am wondering if any other techs have dealt with fumigation before and can give me an idea of the risks involved or maybe any preventative action I can take before the piano is gassed? Thanks for any information!

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    Hannah Beckett
    Wilmington NC
    910-231-3595
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  • 2.  RE: Termites!

    Posted 03-30-2016 14:28
    This is a golden opportunity. Send the free piano directly to the dump,
    and save everyone money and grief. This is the easiest and least
    traumatic resolution you could ever hope for, for all concerned.
    Ron N




  • 3.  RE: Termites!

    Posted 03-30-2016 14:43

    Hi Hannah,

    I let the customer decide. I had a piano rebuild recently that was saturated with cat urine. I inspected every piece of the piano, fixed, cleaned and replaced parts that was necessary. I had to shellac the keybed and other parts to finally remove the odor. 

    All based on giving an estimate( after a thorough inspection ) and the customer accepting it. 

    Good luck.

    ------------------------------
    ChrisChernobieff
    Chernobieff Piano and Harpsichord Mfg.
    Lenoir City TN
    865-986-7720
    chrisppff@gmail.com
    www.facebook.com/ChernobieffPianoandHarpsichordMFG



  • 4.  RE: Termites!

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-30-2016 15:22

    Hannah

    We have a lot of termites here in Hawaii. There is nothing unusual about having the piano treated. It will kill the termites. But you need to asses what part of the pianio they got to, and what kind of damage they left behind. Some of it you can fix, some of it you can't, or don't have to.

    If they got into the pin block , you can epoxy the area effected. If they got in the case, unless it shows, just leave well enough alone. I've seen extensive damage done to the key frame and even the key bed. Again, some of you can fix, some of it you can't.

    It's basic ally up to the customer as to how much they are willing to spend to repair the damage.

    ------------------------------
    Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
    Mililani, HI 96789



  • 5.  RE: Termites!

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-30-2016 15:49
    Wim is correct. I've dealt with this a few times myself. Fumigation does
    not seem to harm anything. The big concern is how much damage has been
    done. I have had to essentially make a new keyframe and replace a leg
    (as well as careful epoxy fill of tunnels in the case) after they
    happily ate their way up from the treble corner. Other times it's not
    that extreme. Be sure to evaluate the extent of the damage and estimate
    the repairs before starting any treatment. It may be best to just send
    the poor thing to the dump, since it was a free piano anyway....


    Dave
    New Orleans (Formosan Termite Capital of the Continental US)



    On 3/30/16 2:21 PM, Willem Blees via Piano Technicians Guild wrote:
    > We have a lot of termites here in Hawaii. There is nothing unusual about having the piano treated. It will kill the termites. But you need to asses what part of the pianio they got to, and what kind of damage they left behind. Some of it you can fix, some of it you can't, or don't have to.
    >




  • 6.  RE: Termites!

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-30-2016 15:52

    One funny example of termite damage happened when I was asked to replace a pin block in the Virgin Island. After removing the block, I shook it, and it sounded like maracas.

    The termites ate their way through the block, through some of the case, the keybed, and even the soundboard. This was an S&S B, so it was worth it to make all the repairs. The piano turned out to sound and look terrific.

    ------------------------------
    Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
    Mililani, HI 96789



  • 7.  RE: Termites!

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-30-2016 16:08

    The only thing more expensive than the free piano is the family piano.

    ------------------------------
    Larry Messerly, RPT
    Bringing Harmony to Homes
    www.lacrossepianotuning.com
    ljmesserly@gmail.com
    608-518-2441
    928-899-7292



  • 8.  RE: Termites!

    Member
    Posted 03-30-2016 23:12

    Honestly... I would suggest it be put out of its misery. Makes you wonder what surroundings it was in. I saw how pianos in South America had to be injected to kill off wood eating insects.  The rest of the piano is probably in terrible shape as well. Be careful where you set your tool case

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    James Kelly
    Pawleys Island SC
    843-325-4357



  • 9.  RE: Termites!

    Member
    Posted 03-31-2016 07:28
    Aside from the multitude of horrors that a Free Gulbransen Baby Grand may hold...I have personally owned/serviced pianos that have been either tented with a house, fumigated in a trailer, or injected.  The first two options were guaranteed kills of existing live insects.  The injection method was done just outside the customer's home and was, by far, the messiest.  Imagine that little Dutch boy not having enough fingers to stick in the dike!  Poison squirting out hundreds of tiny entry holes in the wood.  The goal is to completely fill all voids thus reaching, hopefully, all the termites.  Injection method was not guaranteed to get them all.

    Deb





  • 10.  RE: Termites!

    Posted 03-31-2016 09:28

    Wow, thank you all for your prompt and helpful responses! I love being part of a community that is willing to share their experiences!

    I tuned the piano, and the pin block seems fine! It also has fairly new dampers, hammers and bass strings. I am so curious as to why this was free... Perhaps the previous owner knew about the termites? The current owner has decided to fumigate... Not a choice I would have made but he seems to think it will still be less expensive than buying a new one! Thank you all again for your help!

    ------------------------------
    Hannah Beckett
    Wilmington NC
    910-231-3595



  • 11.  RE: Termites!

    Posted 03-31-2016 10:51

    Hannah-

    Where exactly did you find the termite droppings?

    If, for example, on the soundboard and not in the action cavity, they may come from the lid, or even from the ceiilng in the house. Did you find holes in the piano where the dropping came from?

    Dry termites can be very discrete in their excavations, hollowing out one part before they move on. The exterminator may be able to access the extent of damage.

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    sEd Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413



  • 12.  RE: Termites!

    Posted 03-31-2016 12:51

    If it had <horrors> been my newly acquired piano with termites in it, I'd prefer the fumigation to injecting poison, after which I'd have a piano full of poison sitting in my living room.

    Sometimes there's a lot to be said for living in an area where there are several good hard frosts every winter.

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    Susan Kline
    Philomath, Oregon