Pianotech

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

They don't sell it here.

Apparently there's a "food grade" culinary alcohol I can order, pretty expensive.

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Steven Rosenthal RPT
Honolulu HI
(808) 521-7129
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-19-2025 18:33
From: Nathan Monteleone
Subject: Methanol

Original Message:
Sent: 4/19/2025 6:29:00 PM
From: Nathan Monteleone
Subject: RE: Methanol

Original Message:
Sent: 4/19/2025 6:21:00 PM
From: Steven Rosenthal
Subject: Methanol

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

------------------------------
Steven Rosenthal RPT
Honolulu HI
(808) 521-7129
------------------------------

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

Wim, I'm sorry to hear that, though I think this piano predates the Baldwin Wurlitzer merger. I did bake the action in my car and it didn't have much affect. Not a good sign. 

Nathan, thanks for the link, good to find out that there's nothing particularly wrong with using other types of alcohol.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

Wim, I'm sorry to hear that, though I think this piano predates the Baldwin Wurlitzer merger. I did bake the action in my car and it didn't have much affect. Not a good sign. 

Nathan, thanks for the link, good to find out that there's nothing particularly wrong with using other types of alcohol.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

TSI 301 is by far the best at cleaning action centers. If you want to enlarge the cloth, alcohol with a little water works. The correct amount of water is determined by observing absorbtion. Remember alcohol is the carrier and water is the worker. Personally, i prefer to just repin. 

Using B-72 with an alcohol that has any water in it is equivelent to 2 steps forward 1 step back. Water % can be measured, i use lab equipment purchased from a wine supply co. . Denatured has 15% water, Everclear 5% etc. Most others are in the range of 10-15% water content. If you want an eye opening experience get 100% alcohol.and suddenly you get predictable results when voicing. Amazon has 99.9% isopropyl alcohol available. I highly recommend it, otherwise you kinda wasting your time when using a hardner that at the same time softens to some degree. Methanol is BTW the most toxic alcohol, your cautioned to avoid skin contact or breathe it.

-chris

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

Did you mean to say Ethanol instead of Methanol? Ethanol is the alcohol that people drink. The stuff in Everclear and all the other drinkable alcohols. Methanol is a toxic alcohol that will make you go blind if you drink it. You can buy it in fuel additives like Heet. In addition to burning cleanly and pulling water out of fuel lines, I'm sure it also does interesting things to felt. But I don't think it would be widely used because of the toxicity issue. 

I've had some luck with a liquid solution that Schaff used to sell but that I can't find anymore. It had a really strong smell. I can't remember the name of it. (Garfield?) I'd take the action outside, run a big bead of solution down the flange pins, wait 10 minutes for the smell to dissipate, then bring it back in, and all but the toughest flanges would work again. It was, in my mind, the intermediate step between CLP+friction and Repinning. 

Out of curiosity, has anyone ever tried "ironing" the felt by heating the center pin without taking it out? I'm imagining a soldering iron with a pointy tip touching only the end of each pin for a short time. 

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

Did you mean to say Ethanol instead of Methanol? Ethanol is the alcohol that people drink. The stuff in Everclear and all the other drinkable alcohols. Methanol is a toxic alcohol that will make you go blind if you drink it. You can buy it in fuel additives like Heet. In addition to burning cleanly and pulling water out of fuel lines, I'm sure it also does interesting things to felt. But I don't think it would be widely used because of the toxicity issue. 

I've had some luck with a liquid solution that Schaff used to sell but that I can't find anymore. It had a really strong smell. I can't remember the name of it. (Garfield?) I'd take the action outside, run a big bead of solution down the flange pins, wait 10 minutes for the smell to dissipate, then bring it back in, and all but the toughest flanges would work again. It was, in my mind, the intermediate step between CLP+friction and Repinning. 

Out of curiosity, has anyone ever tried "ironing" the felt by heating the center pin without taking it out? I'm imagining a soldering iron with a pointy tip touching only the end of each pin for a short time. 

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

I once used Cory KeyBrite to treat. I'm not sure how long it worked. A one time visit to a wurtilizer.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

A mechanic I knew when I was younger had a sign in his shop that said:   Rates: $20 per hour.  If you worked on it first: $40 per hour.   If you want to help: $60 per hour.  One of the chief pitfalls of treating action centers is when some amateur has been there first and tried the "obvious" solution: they've applied some oil.  Unfortunately only temporarily if at all.  Once the more volatile elements of the petroleum have evaporated, you're left with a stubborn gunk that gums up the works on a rather permanent basis.  The only way to detect this fatal fix is to try the usual water/alcohol treatment first and see if it helps.  Since this is primarily a fix for bushings that were not sized properly to begin with, it's only likely to help with spinets from the seventies when it was a common problem.  Older uprights are not prone to it though it may help with a sluggishness caused by a combination of disuse and high humidity.  If the water/alcohol does not do the job, you can follow with a treatment of naphtha, silicone oil.  (The naphtha, like the alcohol, is just there as a solvent: it evaporates quickly once it has done its job.)  This, at least can do no harm.   As has been noted too much water content in the alcohol solution can leave the bushings too loose.  Neither of these solutions are effective if the action is not heated up in a heat tent to around 140 degrees and then the parts worked vigorously for a while.  If the action centers have been oiled, neither of these "solutions" will solve the problem and you'll have to repin and preferably rebush as well.  Keep in mind, the bushings for each set of parts (hammers, whips, jacks, etc.) are pinned to different specs which vary considerably.  Measure them first before you dive in and treat them as needed.   It's not a one size fits all situation.

I once used Cory KeyBrite to treat. I'm not sure how long it worked. A one time visit to a wurtilizer.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.

I have been very satisfied using the TSI stuff. 301 and 321 are super slick. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

A mechanic I knew when I was younger had a sign in his shop that said:   Rates: $20 per hour.  If you worked on it first: $40 per hour.   If you want to help: $60 per hour.  One of the chief pitfalls of treating action centers is when some amateur has been there first and tried the "obvious" solution: they've applied some oil.  Unfortunately only temporarily if at all.  Once the more volatile elements of the petroleum have evaporated, you're left with a stubborn gunk that gums up the works on a rather permanent basis.  The only way to detect this fatal fix is to try the usual water/alcohol treatment first and see if it helps.  Since this is primarily a fix for bushings that were not sized properly to begin with, it's only likely to help with spinets from the seventies when it was a common problem.  Older uprights are not prone to it though it may help with a sluggishness caused by a combination of disuse and high humidity.  If the water/alcohol does not do the job, you can follow with a treatment of naphtha, silicone oil.  (The naphtha, like the alcohol, is just there as a solvent: it evaporates quickly once it has done its job.)  This, at least can do no harm.   As has been noted too much water content in the alcohol solution can leave the bushings too loose.  Neither of these solutions are effective if the action is not heated up in a heat tent to around 140 degrees and then the parts worked vigorously for a while.  If the action centers have been oiled, neither of these "solutions" will solve the problem and you'll have to repin and preferably rebush as well.  Keep in mind, the bushings for each set of parts (hammers, whips, jacks, etc.) are pinned to different specs which vary considerably.  Measure them first before you dive in and treat them as needed.   It's not a one size fits all situation.

I once used Cory KeyBrite to treat. I'm not sure how long it worked. A one time visit to a wurtilizer.

I'm trying to get an otherwise nice 50 year old Wurlitzer studio upright action going. The hammer flanges are chronically tight and lubrication has proven to be only a temporary fix.

It's been a long time since I've tried "watering" the action, I know methanol is the preferred alcohol but I'm having trouble sourcing it. Is there an alternative? Should I try straight water first? I'm trying to find an alternative to repining the whole action.

Thanks in advance.