Old No7 Posted July 4, 2023 Share Posted July 4, 2023 I'm not reporting any dust-related issues -- and hope to never do so -- but I am suggesting that all users "should use" dust covers on their keyboards or audio equipment to prevent any future control issues. Why? See the image below... That's the tray from the Gator Frameworks Heavy-duty Adjustable Media Stand that holds my Tascam DP-24SD (and it works really well for that task too). I just removed the tray to grind 2 semi-circles into the lower front lip so that I can plug in my headphones and foot pedal without lifting the tray up any.Note the fine coating of tiny dust particles at the top edge of the tray where my "always covered" (except when in use) DP-24SD sits. We don't have a forced hot air system and I don't consider my studio, or our house for that matter, to be dirty or dusty, but after 18 months, it's easy to see that some dust has accumulated on the top edge of the tray. One can only imagine what that fine dust could do to all the knobs, sliders, buttons and switches of my gear; and that's why I always cover my 3 keyboards, the Tascam, mixer, and Alesis SR-16 drum machine when not in use. "Dust In The Wind" is a great song, but I don't need that fine dust getting inside my gear where it will create future control or performance issues. Old No7 2 Quote Yamaha MODX6 * Hammond SK Pro 73 * Roland Fantom-08 * Crumar Mojo Pedals * Mackie Thump 12As * Tascam DP-24SD * JBL 305 MkIIs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Emm Posted July 4, 2023 Share Posted July 4, 2023 It can become a double whammy if you are owned by cats. Since they'll snooze on everything within sight, its wise to apply a second layer of protection. I had a pal whose synths developed an odd problem with intermittent keys not sounding. As it turned out, his uncovered gear had gathered cat hair and dander until the keybeds choked. The repair tech gave him a sandwich bag filled with the hair he had removed. The synths were fine after that, but he almost shaved his cats bald. Quote As an adolescent I aspired to lasting fame, I craved factual certainty and I thirsted for a meaningful vision of human life- so I became a scientist. This is like becoming an archbishop so you can meet girls. ~ Matt Cartmill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old No7 Posted July 4, 2023 Author Share Posted July 4, 2023 2 hours ago, David Emm said: ...if you are owned by cats... That sounds about right! (That's why I have a black Lab * now!) Old No7 ( * ps: Who wants to say "Happy 4th" to all ) 1 1 Quote Yamaha MODX6 * Hammond SK Pro 73 * Roland Fantom-08 * Crumar Mojo Pedals * Mackie Thump 12As * Tascam DP-24SD * JBL 305 MkIIs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Emm Posted July 4, 2023 Share Posted July 4, 2023 Labs are one of the highest form of Dog, although you get what you deserve if you employ a table at tail-level. They'll sweep it clean several times a day. Otherwise, they'll luv ya like a mother. I like animals in general. I'm just slightly biased. I'm down with Winston Churchill's view: "I don't trust any man who doesn't like dogs." 🐶 3 Quote As an adolescent I aspired to lasting fame, I craved factual certainty and I thirsted for a meaningful vision of human life- so I became a scientist. This is like becoming an archbishop so you can meet girls. ~ Matt Cartmill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokely Posted July 5, 2023 Share Posted July 5, 2023 I am not consistent with dust covers, never used them when I was younger--and my JX10 had a number of keys go out. I think that was more of a chronic membrane problem with some Rolands (from what I recall) but I'm sure not covering it for years didn't help. I work from home in my home office/studio and my cat wants to hang with me. He likes to lay on keyboards and so usually I put a folded furniture blanket over the dust cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted July 5, 2023 Share Posted July 5, 2023 My repair guy has told me a few times to use covers , due to the damage dust can cause and I make sure my rehearsal studio gear is always covered at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundown Posted July 5, 2023 Share Posted July 5, 2023 Any suggestions for material to make your own? I bought some years ago and I wasn’t happy with them. Todd Quote Sundown Working on: The Jupiter Bluff; Driven Away Main axes: Kawai MP11 and Kurz PC361 DAW Platform: Cubase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted July 12, 2023 Share Posted July 12, 2023 Don't use towels or any cloth based cover. The dust will permeate through the fibers and still land on your gear. Ask me how I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted July 12, 2023 Share Posted July 12, 2023 On 7/5/2023 at 6:56 PM, Sundown said: Any suggestions for material to make your own? I bought some years ago and I wasn’t happy with them. Todd As a DIYer and if I had time to do it, I would use vinyl fabric to make customer covers. However, it would be less time consuming and ultimately more cost effective to order/buy the *right size* gear cover.😎 Quote PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franz Schiller Posted July 12, 2023 Share Posted July 12, 2023 Maybe the new MPN store could sell dust covers? @Dave Bryce 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old No7 Posted January 12 Author Share Posted January 12 Update to my own posting... I made this up earlier today on a reply on another forum -- figured I'd share it here........... Dusty's Law: Every month that your keyboard sits without a dust cover -- takes one month off it's useful life. Old No7 1 Quote Yamaha MODX6 * Hammond SK Pro 73 * Roland Fantom-08 * Crumar Mojo Pedals * Mackie Thump 12As * Tascam DP-24SD * JBL 305 MkIIs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obxa Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 On 7/11/2023 at 9:48 PM, The Real MC said: Don't use towels or any cloth based cover. The dust will permeate through the fibers and still land on your gear. Ask me how I know. I'll bite- why? Usually buy felt or have occasionally used towels. Not to start a debate....As owner of both cats and dogs- Pet related damages: Felines have done more. Gak-ing hairballs, Peeing in my Nord case, using speakers as scratch posts, knocking over stuff. Much worse than the occasional puppy chewing on sustain pedals. Quote Chris Corso www.chriscorso.org Lots of stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 Yes I use as much as I can in my practice area, and my shop GPS has told me to use them. All my stuff is downstairs in a garage, away from my cat, so thankfully that is not an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 5 hours ago, obxa said: I'll bite- why? Usually buy felt or have occasionally used towels. Not to start a debate....As owner of both cats and dogs- Pet related damages: Felines have done more. Gak-ing hairballs, Peeing in my Nord case, using speakers as scratch posts, knocking over stuff. Much worse than the occasional puppy chewing on sustain pedals. Cloth towels are a porous material and dust can be small enough to seep through the towels. That was the case where I used to live - my music gear was in a semi-finished basement. Concrete floor and foundation, no finished walls, exposed ceiling beams. There was insulation between the beams. That insulation shed dust every time the upstairs foot traffic shook the beams, and if you like to jam on your gear at loud volume the noise will cause dust to be shed. That dust was a very fine material that was a PITA to clear off the gear - unlike plaster dust you can't remove insulation dust with a paint brush. Once you remove the towels you need to run them through the laundry. Otherwise the dust sitting on the towels will be deposited on your gear, in a frustrating game of whack-a-mole. There is an equal risk from plaster dust in finished parts of the house. Every house is different in how much plaster dust is shed. Fortunately the house I own now sheds the least dust of any place I have lived. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthaholic Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 Lawn and leaf bags, folded lengthwise in half. Quote The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUSSIEKEYS Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 10 hours ago, obxa said: As owner of both cats and dogs- Pet related damages: Felines have done more. Gak-ing hairballs, Peeing in my Nord case, using speakers as scratch posts, knocking over stuff. Much worse than the occasional puppy chewing on sustain pedals. OMG but how cute are they when captured on video on the internet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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