| One
of the simplest jobs in the restoration process, is the cleaning of the
metal tuners and tailpiece. The left photo shows tuners from the same
instrument, before and after cleaning. The tail pieces are from
different instruments, though very similar. I generally begin with a
wire brush, and progress to fine Dremel brushes for polishing. I free up
jammed tuners with WD40 and often apply a little '3 in 1' bicycle oil
(but only after cleaning).
Wisdom has it, that oil or grease collects dust which is not good for
tuners, but I have found it less of a problem than rust, jammed tuners
and broken buttons!!! |
 |
Screw
cleaning can be done individually with a dremel and a wire brush.... but
they are fiddly to hold. A better method, which works well especially if
you have a lot to do.. (me for example..) is to pop them in a screw top
jar with some vinegar... just enough to cover the screws. Leave them
there for 2-3 days, shaking vigorously occasionally. Rinse off with
clean water afterwards, dry, then pop them into another jar with a
little oil and shake for a while. This will ensure that when they come
out, they wont just start to rust again, as happened the
first time I tried this. Since oiling, wipe off any excess, they stay
clean, ready for re-use. |
