warped keys

[Farrell]

Time, heat and pressure can even put a nice bend in a mountain. Regarding the rims though, the thickness of the lamination is also important. The thicker a piece of wood is (like a key), the longer heat and pressure will be required to bend it.

You could do the key in a steam box. That is how you go about bending 2" by 2" (and larger) white oak to make a bent rib for a boat hull. Some woods steam better than others. If you steamed the whole key though, I guess you'd have to plan on rebushing and a new key cover. But yes, it would most certainly work. Don't recommend it though.

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <tune4u@earthlink.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 11:12 PM
Subject: Re: warped keys


> The wet-rag-and-iron technique must work, or it wouldn't have been
> suggested. But when they bend wood for piano rims, bentwood rockers, and so
> forth, don't they use a lot of steam and gradual pressure? That's what
> caused my burned-up-key disaster-I was trying to steam it for a long time
> over boiling water (left the pan for a "minute" to run down to the shop, got
> busy, was reminded of my project by the smoke detector!)
> 
> Anyway, has anyone tried putting the key in an autoclave or some other
> really steamy environment, then putting the twist to it?
> 
> Alan
> Salem, MO
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Greg Newell" <gnewell@ameritech.net>
> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 10:05 PM
> Subject: Re: warped keys
> 
> 
> > I tried heating and steaming both and each time I broke the damn key!
> >
> > Greg Newell
> >
> >
> >
> > At 11:03 PM 1/9/2003, you wrote:
> >
> >
> > >>You could try diagonal saw kerfs filled with a thicker veneer to "bend"
> > >>it the way you want it to go. I've done this before and made it "less
> bad".
> > >>
> > >>Greg Newell
> > >
> > >I did one like this a couple of weeks ago. The (natural) key was both
> > >severely twisted, and warped. Took three cuts. Two shimmed out, one
> > >clamped in. Back in the piano, you can't tell which one it is. I've tried
> > >heating, but never had much luck with it unless the twist was very
> slight.
> > >
> > >Ron N
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> > >
> >
> > Greg Newell
> > mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net
> >
> 
> 
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