Pianotech

  • 1.  trays for damper felt removal?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 12-04-2022 15:21
    Hi,
    Does anyone have suggestions on where to find ideal small plastic troughs for removing damper felts from damper heads?
    The thick layer of hide glue on Steinway damper heads is a bear to remove without damaging the paint job on the damper heads.
    Any suggestions would be great. For the past 10 years I've been doing dry removal with very sharp chisels and extremely careful sanding. But this is really time-consuming, I think it takes me something like 5-6 hours of labor per set.
    Thanks!
    Tom

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    Tom Wright, RPT
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  • 2.  RE: trays for damper felt removal?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 12-04-2022 15:26
    I give my damper heads a shower. All the dampers are in 2 layer a pegboard box. I take the pegboard into the shower and get all the felts wet with hot water. I let that sit for about 30 - 45 minutes and the felts almost fall off or can be removed very easy with a knife. The hot water will flash off the damper heads without damaging them. 

    Done it that way for 40 years. 

    Wim



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  • 3.  RE: trays for damper felt removal?

    Member
    Posted 12-04-2022 15:44
    Wim - reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when Kramer has a garbage disposer installed in his shower so he can peel carrots and cukes to make salads .....

    Anyway there are a number of good tips in a past roundtable in the PTG Journal. One was to suspend/stand up dampers in a tall pan and fill it so the water wets the felt. Mixtures of water, vinegar and wallpaper remover are discussed. Use the search function to find journals that discuss damper felt removal. I believe I saw felt removal being done by suspending dampers in a piece of plastic roof gutter. You will want to keep the dampers in order

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    James Kelly
    Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
    Pawleys Island SC
    (843) 325-4357
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  • 4.  RE: trays for damper felt removal?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 12-04-2022 16:12
    I tear off the felt, and put the damper head in this jig.  Two or three swipes with a sharp file and they are clean and ready. This takes about 20 minutes per set. 
     I found wetting them often lifted the finish.  



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  • 5.  RE: trays for damper felt removal?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 12-07-2022 16:52
    Thanks all for the info,
    Best,

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    Tom Wright, RPT
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: trays for damper felt removal?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 12-08-2022 09:54

    I use an eye dropper to drip vinegar on the felts. It's all natural and way safer than wallpaper remover, and won't damage the paint. It’s considerably cheaper too. It takes about 15 minutes to do, then let it sit for about half an hour or so. When you come back, most of the felts will literally fall off when you touch them. Those that don't get another few drops of vinegar until they too fall off. 

    Of course, you have to wait until they dry completely before gluing on the new felts, but this method should take your time down from 5-6 hours to under one hour of labor for removal. 



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    Benjamin Sanchez, RPT
    Piano Technician / Artisan
    (256) 947-9999
    www.professional-piano-services.com
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: trays for damper felt removal?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 12-08-2022 18:23
    I don't do that.  I found that paint on the damper heads sometimes started to come up so I gave up soaking.  I just put them in a bench vice upside down and remove the old felt with a sharp chisel.  Comes off easily along with the glue.  While the damper head is in the vice I polish the damper wire with flitz.  Take it out and if I'm going to refinish the damper heads wipe them down with thinner to get the gunk off so the new finish adheres properly.  That way each damper head only gets handled once.    I didn't find that soaking saved any time and sometimes made extra work.

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    David Love RPT
    www.davidlovepianos.com
    davidlovepianos@comcast.net
    415 407 8320
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