I do try to keep rooms at a fairly constant humidity, I am a professional pianist with a better-than-decent grand plus the Credenza, and my two tuners mentioned the process (neither of whom I would call hacks - if anything, historical instrument caretakers) in association with their own Credenzas, and I'm not sure I want our public rooms smelling of turpentine for a year. It's a smell I associate with retsina, the worst wine known to man, and I worked in the wine business during my time getting the M.A. and Ph.D. at Eastman. Glycerine/alcohol has been "mostly discredited" by whom? It's still out there, and the linseed/turpentine mix seems to be for those who don't use the rooms for anything else, which would not suit me, my family, or our guests, who quite enjoy the instrument. Is glycerine/alcohol really so bad, or irreversible? Is there anything less redolent as a fix? (As it is, our Credenza sounds quite good, so maybe I'll leave it alone; still, wood is supposed to r eact with the atmosphere, so a treatment respecting that and taking into account other factors doesn't seem unreasonable to me. Name one piano that sounds and responds the same year-round without atmospheric care...) ________________________________________ From: [email protected] [[email protected]] on behalf of Rich [[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 10:01 PM To: Antique Phonograph List Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Victor Orthophonic Credenza adjustment
The smell kind of grows on you. One thing to keep very firmly in mind with the linseed oil/turpentine mix is this is the stuff that when soaked up in rags in a bucket will reliably spontaneously combust. This is something that is usually applied with a rag pad in small doses. On 05/23/2012 07:06 PM, DanKj wrote: > Glycerine/alcohol was a trick used by hack piano tuners to tighten loose > tuning pins, and has been mostly discredited. Glycerine works by > attracting mositure from the air, so I would expect it to cause wood to > constantly expand & contract along with the humidity in the room. I used > linseed/turp on a Credenza, over 20 years ago, and the wood still seems > fresh and not dried-out. My living room smelled like turpentine for > about a year, but it wasn't overpowering. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Philip Carli" > <[email protected]> > To: "Antique Phonograph List" <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 5:53 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Victor Orthophonic Credenza adjustment > > >> Which do you think is less invasive? I've always had mixed feelings in >> the use of both linseed oil and turpentine, but am willing to have >> another opinion to change mine... >> ________________________________________ >> From: [email protected] [[email protected]] on >> behalf of Rich [[email protected]] >> Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 5:37 PM >> To: Antique Phonograph List >> Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Victor Orthophonic Credenza adjustment >> >> Boiled linseed oil and real turpentine will work much better. Verify all >> joints are tight first. >> >> On 05/23/2012 01:37 PM, Philip Carli wrote: >>> One thing I've been meaning to do to my Credenza that I've heard good >>> things about is resealing the horn with a 50/50 mixture of glycerine >>> and alcohol. Ideally it involves removing the motorboard and all >>> fittings (tone arm etc.) and "painting" the inside of the horn with >>> the machine upside down, then the next day turning it upright and >>> doing the same. The alcohol helps the glycerine penetrate the wood >>> and reseal any joinery that might have dried out over time, then the >>> alcohol evaporates and leaves the wood revivified. Supposedly it >>> makes for a more "forward" and resonant sound. Haven't done it yet, >>> but know people who have recommended the technique. Philip Carli >>> ________________________________________ >>> From: [email protected] [[email protected]] on >>> behalf of William Berndt [[email protected]] >>> Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 12:53 PM >>> To: Antique Phonograph List >>> Subject: [Phono-L] Victor Orthophonic Credenza adjustment >>> >>> In February I purchased a Victor VE8-30X. I really wanted one with a >>> spring motor, but when I visited Ron Haring, of the six or so >>> machines he had (he has an unbelievable inventory - well worth a >>> visit) one was in such fine condition that I caved and bought it. >>> Having sold my Victor VV4-3, I was initially surprised that it didn't >>> sound as good - rather dull, and less volume. First I removed the >>> tonearm, and discovered there was no gasket underneath, so I made one >>> out of rubber, which improved the sound a bit. I started using my HMV >>> 5B soundbox which greatly helped the higher frequencies, and had been >>> using since, but several people said it still sounded thin with less >>> warmth and bass response than it should have. Recently, I read of >>> adjusting the screw on the soundbox balance bar, and did so in 1/8 >>> turn increments - wow, what a difference! After an hour or so of >>> turns and tests, I now have dramatically more volume, and very nicely >>> balanced with highs like the HMV 5B, b >> ut >>> with better bass. >>> >>> Are there any more "tweaks" I can do? Ron already replaced the ball >>> bearings in the soundbox, and I always use teflon tape on the tonearm >>> end for a tight seal. >>> >>> Many thanks for any suggestions, >>> >>> Will >>> Chicago, IL > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org > > _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org ________________________________ This email message and any attachments may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are prohibited from using the information in any way, including but not limited to disclosure of, copying, forwarding or acting in reliance on the contents. If you have received this email by error, please immediately notify me by return email and delete it from your email system. Thank you. _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org
