Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.
Private messaging is working again.
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
(0 votes) 
Regulars
Offline
While putting in humidifiers yesterday, I noticed that the cloth cover on one case is really dirty and dusty. I have removed a couple of covers from the foam/plywood case before so that a seamstress could replace zippers, and it is pretty easily done. I am thinking that I could remove the cover and launder it in my washing machine and tumble dry it. Has anyone done this before or see any problems?
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
Regulars
Offline
How about some spray foam upholstery cleaner like Resolve. Spray it on, let it sit and dry, vacuum off. I don't know if it would work but sounds a lot easier then removing the whole outside of a case.
Opportunity is often missed because it wears suspenders and looks like hard work.
Regulars
Offline
I thought that a product like that might cause a problem with the foam backing, but a chair (and a car seat) uses a similar material. There are only about 8 small screws holding the fabric cover on, so that is not a big deal either.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
Regulars
Offline
Ah ok. Mine is non removable. If you can remove it, go for it. I'd wash it by hand though.
Opportunity is often missed because it wears suspenders and looks like hard work.
Regulars
Offline
How's your case cover laundry caper going, @Irv ?
Regulars
Offline
Similarly (?), in a downpour, how do you protect your case? Garden bin bags are all I can think of, unless I buy some tarpaulin and custom-make a cover. Anyone done anything like that?
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
Hi Andrew. Funny that you should mention rain. Heard Angela and Jennifer Chun last week at a world premiere of a dance choreographed by Jonah Bokaer (Late Nights on Air) and I swear their instruments were in Cecilio vinyl cases. At first I excitedly hoped that the violins were Cecilio as well, since their tone was excellent. That hope was dashed when I learned via the internet that they play valuable antique instruments. Perhaps that night?
All of their album covers seems to have photographs of them walking in the rain with their respective violin cases exposed to the full down pour (more credence that they might be Cecilio violins). Hope springs eternal.
A vinyl covered case, as well as fiberglass and carbon fiber, should protect from rain quite well. I have seen photos of expensive cases with a removable cloth envelope. It would be fairly inexpensive to provide a cover of gortex cloth and taped seams to provide excellent water proofing. And your idea of a plastic bin bag should also work.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
Regulars
Offline
Irv said
It would be fairly inexpensive to provide a cover of gortex cloth and taped seams to provide excellent water proofing. And your idea of a plastic bin bag should also work.
Hmm, just about the only thing I have never seen made from Goretex is condoms (am I allowed to say that on this forum?).
The bin-bag would be my second choice. I'll look into customising something, be it breathable or plastic.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
Goretex sheds water but passes water vapor. I use it for diy violin case humidifiers. It may also be possible to use a waterproofing spray commonly used on outdoor jackets.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
Regulars
Offline
Spurred on by the insistence of bocaholly, I laundered the Cecilio violin case cover today with Tide Ultra Stain Release detergent. I took photos but there is little to see.
I had thought that the fabric was nylon. I now think that it is cotton with a substantial amount of black sizing (perhaps paint). Some of the sizing/paint came off in the dryer and I needed to use a vacuum cleaner to remove (the particles must have been electrically charged because a damp paper towel was useless). Washed in cold water with gentle heat tumble dry. An extremely small amount of shrinkage (could still use existing screw holes in fabric). I shut all zippers before washing but main zipper opened during washing anyways. Lost Cecilio nameplate during wash but small loss indeed.
Fabric is now completely stain free and looks great. Due to release of sizing, I don’t think that the fabric could take this more than a couple of times.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
Regulars
Offline
What started out sounding like a calamity finally turned out just fine. Glad to hear that, Irv, especially since I allegedly nudged you into finally trying 
Admittedly, I had to look up "sizing". Pathetic for someone (me) whose father spent his whole life in the garment business. I guess not much rubbed off.
Speaking of rubbing off, since you're not going to want to rewash that case cover too often, may I suggest some spray protection. If you'd rather go the crunchy-granola route, how about this rubbed into the fabric?:
I'm sure it's not cost effective but it does, for sure, have the posh touch of those English wax jackets one must wear when walking the spaniels in the shires.
Regulars
Offline
I know that the Fulton Clothing Company made pants of this material, but I never had a pair. Is the imparted surface sticky? I would rather not attract dust if avoidance is possible.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
Regulars
Offline
@Irv If you're around NYC, you can check out the touch and feel of wax jacket fabric at Barbour. They have one uptown and one downtown shop.
I've reconditioned mine a couple of times over the years. After the wax coating settles, dust hasn't been an issue for me. It helps to apply warmth while rubbing in the wax... something like a hair blower works great.
Regulars
Offline
The Cecilio case has styrofoam directly under the fabric, so I don’t think that I could use a heat gun on it to any great extent. However, I do have a very nicely wood constructed Swiss (Alfons Marcandella) viola case with burgundy cloth fabric that might benefit by this treatment (this is the one where I had the zipper replaced). Do you think that a 2.5 oz. bar is adequate or should I splurge on the 5 oz. bar?
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
Regulars
Offline
Looks like you have to splurge. This is from the Otter Wax FAQ page:
Regulars
Offline
@Irv
When you talk of Goretex passing water vapour, you need to be careful that you re not just reciting its marketing blurb.
If your fiddle and its case have been in a controlled climate and you are taking it into an uncontrolled climate, you DON'T want any transfer of water vapour!
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
Hi Andrew. I have almost a year’s experience with the use of a goretex fabric “window” on my diy case humidifiers. Goretex definitely passes water vapor, since the gel spheres all greatly shrank over time in the case. Liquid water also beads up when spilled on the fabric’s surface.
I had hoped that the pores in goretex would not allow the passage of bacteria. I don’t think that is the case. I wanted to reuse the gel sphere by re-hydration. Bacteria appear to be using the spheres as a food source (like a bio-reactor) and I may need to utilize some method of active biocide in the humidifier.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
Regulars
Offline
Sorry, I didn't express myself well.
Yes, Goretex "breathes" (from memory it has something like 15 billion pores per square inch? I'll let you Google bacteria sizes).
What I'm saying is, if your case humidity is 50% and you want to take it out in the rain where the humidity is much higher, then I wouldn't want to use Goretex, as the humidity from outside will get inside the case.
And vice versa if you go into the desert - you want to trap that humidity inside the case - you don't want it to leak out.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
1 Guest(s)
Mouse
Fiddlerman
ELCBK
