Hello, all.
I need some help to figure out why hide glue is not adhering to the balance
rail mortises on a 2011 Hamburg Steinway D.
Hide glue was used but did not hold. This was found when the keys were put back on the keyframe.
Many fell out.
This piano is in heavy use, and I think the previous tech over-eased the bushings to compound
the sloppy key problem.
Thinking the jar used to prepare the glue might have been contaminated by Teflon bushings that
had been in it (yes, I did wash it out) having left some residue that may have been stubborn, that
vessel was discarded, and a new jar was used. Glue prepared in it for a second set also did not
hold and the bushings were able to be pulled out dry by simply using fingers or tweezers.
The set I installed which failed was removed with steam only (which was probably mostly unnecessary),
with no wallpaper remover, although I had to use that to remove the original factory bushing cloth.
The ground hide glue was in an unopened bag from one of the parts houses. It looks like a bag Pianotek uses,
but nothing was written on it. Purified water was used (not distilled).
I have already spoken to Kent Webb about this, but he is likewise baffled as is Kluge.
Has anybody else had this happen? How did you solve it? Is anyone using/found an alternative
glue that can be easily removed using conventional methods?
Any help or sharing of experience with this issue would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Dave Conte, RPT
The University of Tennessee
865-974-4885 Office
865-406-5156 UT Cell
817-307-5656 Personal Cell
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Dave Conte
Owner
Knoxville TN
817-307-5656
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