Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum grand piano soundboard brush?

Why doesn't it exist? There's a need! But can't find a thing on the market.

How about a vacuum brush?

Long-haired enough to fit through the strings to the soundboard...

But wide enough that the long haired brush does not implode when the vacuum is working...!!!

Accordeur - you beat me to it!!

Surlock tools and jigs are the best!

I took the long crevice tool that comes with a vacuum and closed off the end with duct tape. Then I cut a slit along the side about ¼ inches wide and lined the edges with felt.
Works great.

OK.... Great... Mr. Spurlock has anticipated me.

THough, I admit to trying to understand how Silverwood's amended vacuum system!!!

Thanks, guys!

Yamaha propose a small brush (natural bristle
that can go between the strings and on the board.

A good coimplement to Spurlock for corners.

We sometiume use a dampo cloth with some liquid soap , that is
pushed on the soundboard between the strings. A long thin blade can be used, a thread on one corner of the cloth helps also.

I also have my portative manual air blower !

ANy picture ? I cannot get it

Yeah Dan. A picture please.

Can’t locate the tool, I think it might be on Salt Spring…..last time there I did a lot of cleaning.

Several ways this tool can be made quickly. Here is a blog posting I did about the cleaner. Not a perfect tool by any means; quickly and cheaply made but quite effective at removing dirt and dust quickly.

I grabbed an empty paper towel roll for the purposes of this demonstration.

Then the small brush for the really tight spots. Really the best way to make one of these is with small gauge flexible plastic pipe similar to the fill pipe on the Damp Chaser units. Then create a fitting to match the diameter of the vacuum.

Photo set at the bottom of the blog posting.

http://silverwoodpianos.blogspot.ca/

Thank you Dan, does the tube make a venturi effect ? if not I cannot see how it can be strong enough to get the dust.

Or do you use it under the strings, from the side ?

One may find a very small tube diameter in that case, I baught a kit with multiple accessories to be installed on a normal vacuum to clean small and delicate things, but rarely have use them in the end.

At times the venturi effect will suck up dust through the strings. A small diameter tube and under the strings Isaac. One side of the slit I glued bristles from a hair brush.

They sell adapters for regular vacumes which will also work. They are called micro vacume or something similar...much like this one....

http://www.amazon.com/Micro-Vacuum-Attachment-Kit-Piece/dp/B000BSJCLY

Yep. That is almost the identical kit I purchased from Canadian Tire. Any of the straight pipes can be modified, or the crevice attachment.

I tie a piece of string to a rag, poke the rag under the strings with a strip of plastic, and pull the rag out with the string when I am done. It works about as well as anything else I have seen.

The unit I made is for the tough stuff. I use the rag too. I like to lay the pipe underneath the strings and chase all the dirt and dust into the airstream with a brush.

Here's a promo (Grand Soundboard Cleaning) you all can put to use for selling this job to your customers. Just fill in your contact information in the spaces provided. Best wishes, Chuck Behm

I use something designed for cleaning the dust from behind household radiators/under appliances etc. Seems to do the job.

Dan, is that one of the Swiffer thingies? Great idea.

I also have the mini-vacuum set that Emmery recommended. It's great for getting under the strings by the hitch-pins and tuning pegs.