Recipe for trouble

[Michiel van Loon]

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: Vanderhoofven <dkvander@clandjop.com>
Aan: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Datum: donderdag 5 februari 1998 6:34
Onderwerp: Recipe for trouble

>Dear Friends,
>Ingredients:
>1 large helping of cold weather...............
............ I encountered my first piano key that had been chewed all the
way through, and I want to make the sweet lady happy by fixing her beloved
piano.
>
>Several questions:
>1.  What type of wood is best for making a new key?
>2.  Where can I obtain some of this wood?
>3.  Any hints or warnings involved in making a replacement key?
>Thanks!
>David
>

David ,
Most of your questions are answered by Ed, Robert and Willem.
But what I like to add:
I.  Ask the lady if her furniture insurance covers  the damage.
   That will make it easier for you to ask the right price for your job. And
for her to pay you.
II.Remove the neighbouring keys. Take a piece of thin cardboard heavy paper
and push the balance rail pins and front pins through the paper and replace
the neighbouring keys on top of the paper and trace them on the paper very
precisely.
III. Make a new key out of pieces of the old key and other key material,
using the drawing. Choose a method that best suits your skills, tools and
materials, as long as the joints are as far away from the balance pin hole
as possible.
IV.When you try to fit the repaired key between the other keys on the key
frame, at first there will be no balance pin hole, so temporarily remove the
balance pin.

And yes, Be resourceful.

Michiel van Loon
Meppel
Nederland