balance rail bushing removal

fssturm@unm.edu fssturm@unm.edu
Thu, 22 May 2003 16:51:57 -0600


Oleg,
    I've never had any problem with staining from wallpaper remover. I only use a 
few drops in a small bottle of solution to counter the surface tension of the water, 
and make the solution penetrate much faster (otherwise, it wants to bead up and 
run off). 
    I don't find a pre-soak necessary when removing hide glued bushings. Steam 
is fast enough, and the extra time for applying solution to each bushing is time 
wasted (though it only tkes about ten minutes). But presoaking is very necessary 
for balance rail bushing like those I described - the ones where part of the felt is 
glued to the under side of the key button, and extends to the sides of the keys. 
Without presoak, about the only way to remove these bushings is to cut them 
from the key buttons with a knife, working from the sides of the keys. Or to cut 
them off flush with a narrow scalpel, working from the top. Much faster and better 
to pull them out, and it doesn't take much time and effort if you pre-soak and 
steam long enough. And use the "push-pull" technique I described. 
    Pre-soaking also saves time when removing bushings glued with aliphatic 
resin glues ("white" or "yellow" wood glues). I'm not sure if it helps with those 
sticky white, heat activated glues. I tend to think not.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
   
Quoting Isaac OLEG <oleg-i@wanadoo.fr>:

> Use the (awful) kettle from Renner's and steam 5 keys at once. The
> advantage being less moisture in the key (less warping) , and a good
> closing of the balance hole.
> 
> The bushings are really loosened with this process, even if glued
> with
> vinyl glue or such.
> A good regulation of the heat is necessary to avoid too much steam
> and
> water.
> 
> No better solution at this day - takes 15/20 min to unglue a set.
> 
> Sizing cauls immediately to be quiet.
> 
> See the pic on next mail !
> 
> I don't like the stain leaved by wall paper remover, using a damp
> rag
> and a hot iron works very well too, but one may use some kind of
> fixture to hold pressed all the keys together so they don't warp,
> particularely on harder wood keys.
> 
> Eurocents ideas
> 
> Isaac OLEG
> 
> Entretien et reparation de pianos.
> 
> PianoTech
> 17 rue de Choisy
> 94400 VITRY sur SEINE
> FRANCE
> tel : 033 01 47 18 06 98
> fax : 033 01 47 18 06 90
> cell: 06 60 42 58 77
> 
> > -----Message d'origine-----
> > De : caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org]De la part
> de
> > Fred Sturm
> > Envoye : mercredi 21 mai 2003 00:28
> > A : College and University Technicians
> > Objet : balance rail bushing removal
> >
> >
> > 	It being bulk keybushing time, while steaming out a
> > set of bushings I
> > called to mind a question posted a few months back, I think
> > by Wim. The
> > question referred to removal of those balance rail bushing
> > that have the
> > fold of felt that goes under the button. Here's how I do it.
> > 	After a good pre-soak with wall-paper/acetic solution
> > (maybe two
> > applications to ensure it wicks all the way through to the
> > edges - look and
> > see that it does), and a good steaming (so the felt is
> > already pulling away
> > from the sides), grasp the felt with a tweezer and push
> > down into the
> > mortise, then lift upward. The downward motion almost
> > always will serve to
> > pull the felt out of the slot between button and key. With
> > practice this
> > becomes a single, fluid motion. Much of the time. it can
> > even be possible
> > to grasp both sides at once and push/pull them out.
> > 	If this is unsuccessful for a few keys (numbers 1 and
> > 88 are common
> > culprits due to extra wide buttons, but sometimes there are
> > a few other
> > troublesome ones), push the felt in from the outside of the
> > slot, using a
> > thin slotted screwdriver. If you have your keys in clamps,
> > a tool for the
> > purpose can be made from scrap music wire (broken bass
> > string) by making a
> > tiny 90 degree bend in the end of the wire. That little bend can
> be
> > insinuated between keys and worked in the slot.
> > 	A few months late, but maybe it will help someone
> > else who is in
> > keybushing heaven.
> > Regards,
> > Fred Sturm
> > University of New Mexico
> > _______________________________________________
> > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> >
> 
> _______________________________________________
> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> 

This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC