FRONT RAIL KEYPIN SHAPE

[Clark]

Hi Ron,

I found my gruntles, mixed up with the enharmonic keyboard diagrams.


My idea is that a hardwood button moulding could be glued to a keyplank,
to be drilled and mortised right along with the plank and rails. With an
0.089" tip, the entire mortise can be about 0.150" wide, with bushings
narrowing this to 0.089". I don't propose omitting buttons, but on some
keyboards with round balance pins they're fairly useless if their grain
runs out just past the mortise - oblong tip pins would help this plenty.
Actually, fanning the keyplank and button grain to match the lines
between touch and jack/capstan helps even more, but thats another
(forgotten) story.

Keys may have additional doglegs, on top of those dictated by
differences in touch and action spacing, in order to compensate for
narrow keys in splayed sections. What this does is increase the angles
between front and balance, balance and strike (etc), obtaining a
stronger balance but more flexible key.


> Wouldn't the difference in width between the shank of
> the pin, and the tip, require a larger mortise in the key body? 

Yes, if the keyboard isn't going to have bushings; no, otherwise.

> How would you compensate for that stiffness loss?

Longer buttons in splayed sections, since the keys are longer.

> Misplacement of front rail pins?

Yep, since the balance sets the center.


All this is informed from my weird perspective, but I think it would
have practical value for normal instruments, too.

Regards,


Clark