Broken Key

[Ron Nossaman]

Hi Ralph, 

I would guess your biggest problem is getting the @%$#* the last guy used
for glue out of the break so you can make a decent fix. Scrape, whittle and
curse as necessary to do so, and glue it back together with Titebond and a
thin veneer (horizontal grain) patch. That ought to do it.

Ron 


>I have a client who owns an 18 year old Ivers And Pond upright  that has a
>broken key. It is broken at the balance rail hole and has been repaired by
>another person. This person glued the parts back together and glued/nailed a
>portion of white plastic keytop along one side of the key as a reinforcement.
>This "reinforcement" has cracked under the strain of playing and I am left
>with the repair job. The question is, would Weldbond be the better glue choice
>for the repair? And would a piece of ivory keytop (of which I have some) serve
>as an adequte reinforcement or would it be better to use thin veneer. This is
>an instrument that is in rather poor condition but it's all the family has and
>can afford.
>
>Thanks,
>Ralph Black
>Nashville
>
>
 Ron