Mellotronists

"J.P." wrote:

>  Greetings Gang Well I for one, am very glad that Jerry Korb's 'Trons are well
> protected from the bad weather that New England has suffered from recently.
> Right now, I'm going through mold remediation (which is NO fun!)... and this
> brings up a couple of questions. Has anyone ever suffered mold problems with
> their 'Trons? I know that the 'Tron can be affected by humidity... but has
> anyone ever dealt with a mold situation? And what would be an optimum relative
> humidity for a 'Tron? I would think that a low relative humidity could bring
> on static problems; and high humidity could bring on mold growth, among other
> things.
>
> _____________________________________________________________________
>
>
> Hi J.P.   ,    You've raised an excellent question and topic for discussion.
> The majority of unrestored Tron issues have been storage in uncontrolled
> conditions for years or even decades. Then we wonder why the steel
> bits are rusted, and cabinets out-of-square , worse than a wrecked
> 1971 Chevy Nova.
>
>
> I personally haven't experienced mold in Tron cabinets, but have
> seen what moisture can do to the chipboard of M300's and M400's .
> Left untreated, they'll buckle/warp, and in some cases, disintegrate
> at the corners .    I call it the "shredded wheat syndrome", or for our
> mates in the EU,  "Wheat-a-bix " .  Only fix for that is to reconstruct the
> damaged piece with either a new section  of wood, or a mix of epoxy/sawdust,
> trowelled/molded into that area.
>
>
> A TINY amount of bleach mixed with a TINY amount of water
> applied by scrubbing-sponge,will remove most mold.  Further prevention
> of mold spores can be aided  by application of "Kilz" or  "Bin",
> available in most stores.

Low humidity causes tapes to stick,snarl and possibly break in worst cases.
Some owners have reported snapping sounds in the audio on occasion.
Cycling models, esp the M300's must be given particular attention,
else "spaghettification" can result. "   I once demonstrated with a small
6W flourescent bulb in hand.  It flashed brightly after walking across the
carpet, and touching the frame of an M400 . Was about a 1-2KV spike .

>
> _________________________________________________________________
>   On a related subject... with hurricane season less than a month away, does
> anyone have a plan to protect their 'Trons in case a storm comes their way?
> For some reason, a "Protect 'O Muff" just doesn't cut it when it comes to
> storms like this! We here in Florida are under the gun again... as always...
> but the National Hurricane Center has said that there is a good chance that
> the Mid Atlantic, and New England states may get hit this year, and as a lot
> of our group lives in these regions, it's really something to think about!
> Will your homeowners insurance cover your 'Tron... do you need to evacuate
> your 'Tron (and yourself and family of course!) to a safer area? It's better
> to think about it now... then 24 hours before a hurricane hits your area. J.P.
> MicroTron 001   "small enough to pack in the Toyota, and get out of Dodge!"
>
> ________________________________________________________________
>
> I've always chuckle whenever I hear the name "Protect-O-Muff."
> Sounds a bit kinky, huh ?  Apologies in advance, "Mellotrongirl . "
> That cover could actually be a medium to encourage mold growth
> in humid weather or climates. Must be airtight to fully work.
> Those holes in bottom of M400 cabinets can be temp. blocked.
> Keeps the furry little nibblers outta there too.
>
> A medium-priced dehumidifier will automatically activate in the
> summer or humid months. My bsmt. is cool/dry, but immed. begins
> to sweat when warm/humid air from outside infiltrates.
> Same can occur to Trons unless proactive measures are taken.
>
>
> Ken Merbler of our List had his MK-II on the sixth floor of
> oceanfront condo in Cocoa Beach, FL.  If those storm shutters failed,
> could have spelled disaster.  Tony Moffett, you're still in FL  too ?
> How did you prepare for rough weather ahead ?
>  The words "high and dry" immed. come to mind.
>
> M400 owner Lee Richards of B'Ham, AL has skirted severe storms several times
> already this year. Ditto for a MK-V owner in Augusta,GA . Both live in
> humid climates of the deep South.
>
>
> Homeowner's insurance will fully cover articles within the residence,
> ONLY If you ask for optional "replacement cost." On special items
> like classic instruments/gear, autos, artwork,jewelry,etc. a special policy is
>
> sometimes attached to main policy as a "rider" or "floater" (poor choice
> of words!) .  A buddy of mine whose wife is insurance VP in Hartford,CT
> recommended several of these choices to research  further.
>
> Finally,  you can invest in a moisture-absorbent bag  of silica-gel.
> Commercially available online from many sources. That's the stuff you
> see packed with new electronics, saying "Do not eat."  Place that bag
> in the floor pan your Tron , and that's it.
>
> Hope all this info helps, gang.  "Good night and good luck ! "
>
> --Jerry Korb