Tonebar screws silicone sealed in place?

[LDS]

Hello braintrust!

I have two rhodes pianos on the bench at the moment in various stages of restoration. Both are MKII pianos - an 88 from 1978, and a 54 from 1982. The usual plastic hammers with wooden key rails. On both of them i noticed silicone sealant was used in the tone bar screw holes in the wooden tone bar rail. Was this a factory thing? And more importantly, do you add more silicone when you replace the screws and grommets?

[Tim Hodges]

Hello braintrust!

I have two rhodes pianos on the bench at the moment in various stages of restoration. Both are MKII pianos - an 88 from 1978, and a 54 from 1982. The usual plastic hammers with wooden key rails. On both of them i noticed silicone sealant was used in the tone bar screw holes in the wooden tone bar rail. Was this a factory thing? And more importantly, do you add more silicone when you replace the screws and grommets?

Hi LDS,

Are you sure it's not wax? The factory used it to ease the screws into the harp but there's no need to use it now when you replace the screws.

Here's a photo from Shadetree Keys where Dave he re-applied wax on to the screws, but it's not necessary.

[LDS]

On closer inspection that is exactly what it is. For some reason I just assumed it was silicone from its appearance but it definitely feels like wax!

[siderealxxx]

Hi LDS,

Are you sure it's not wax? The factory used it to ease the screws into the harp but there's no need to use it now when you replace the screws.

Here's a photo from Shadetree Keys where Dave he re-applied wax on to the screws, but it's not necessary.

Always curious what the advantage was of this? If any?

[LDS]

Always curious what the advantage was of this? If any?

It is used as a lubricant. The screws go in easier and there is less chance of the wood splitting.

[David Aubke]

I agree that it isn't necessary but it definitely helps when driving new screws. A couple of times, when I've forgotten to coat a screw, it complained loudly as I was driving it.

Always curious what the advantage was of this? If any?

It is used as a lubricant. The screws go in easier and there is less chance of the wood splitting.

I wouldn't worry about splitting those plywood rails. At worst, you might shear off the head. But I think it does make a difference when adjusting escapement and voicing.

I also do it because they did it at the factory and I'm trying to recreate factory-fresh pianos. I even leave the wax crumbs on the tone bar rail rather than blow them out because that's what I've seen on original pianos.

[LDS]

At worst, you might shear off the head.

It is funny you say that! When I was removing all of the tone bars from my piano one of the screws did shear off level with the timber.

[David Aubke]

At worst, you might shear off the head.

It is funny you say that! When I was removing all of the tone bars from my piano one of the screws did shear off level with the timber.

That's a bummer

[David Aubke]

I also do it because they did it at the factory and I'm trying to recreate factory-fresh pianos. I even leave the wax crumbs on the tone bar rail rather than blow them out because that's what I've seen on original pianos.

If you want to lubricate the tone bar screws, I don't think you need to go the whole melted-paraffin route like I do.
http://www.screwwax.com/

You can just rub the screws on a chunk of wax. Some folks purchase the wax rings for installing toilets for their soft, beeswax-type consistency. I like dipping the screws in melted wax because it overloads them and results in the aforementioned period-correct crumbs being left over after the job is done.

[pnoboy]

I also do it because they did it at the factory and I'm trying to recreate factory-fresh pianos. I even leave the wax crumbs on the tone bar rail rather than blow them out because that's what I've seen on original pianos.

If you want to lubricate the tone bar screws, I don't think you need to go the whole melted-paraffin route like I do.
http://www.screwwax.com/

You can just rub the screws on a chunk of wax. Some folks purchase the wax rings for installing toilets for their soft, beeswax-type consistency. I like dipping the screws in melted wax because it overloads them and results in the aforementioned period-correct crumbs being left over after the job is done.

I can appreciate your desire to do period-correct work, but not all things Fender did with the Rhodes piano were all that wonderful.  From my perspective, the wax crumbs were just manufacturing debris--debris that could go here and there any time the piano was transported.  On my own piano, I have tried to do improved restoration, which is to say, attempting to bring the piano to a state that was better than how the factory shipped it.  For example, I would consider adding the miracle mod to a sluggish action just such an attempt.  Fender made so many changes to the pianos over the years, some for the better, and others for the worse, that I don't think there's one design that could be considered canonical.  I'd be interested in how other enthusiasts and restorers think about this issue.

[David Aubke]

I feel the wax isn't capable of causing any real trouble in there and I like the touch of authenticity.

But I'm not totally orthodox about it. I always add the Miracle Mod anytime it's appropriate. I also polish the pickup mounting tabs which is something they definitely didn't do at the factory. And while we're counting, I also replace the pickup tape and wrap it so the ends meet at the bottom rather than the top.

But, off the top of my head, those are the only times I deviate from canon.

[David Aubke]

From my perspective, the wax crumbs were just manufacturing debris--debris that could go here and there any time the piano was transported.

I've been mulling this and there may be something to it. I can imagine wax wedging between keys or getting on the pedestals and potentially causing issues.

Has anybody dealt with a problem that turned out to be caused by wax debris?