Removing Celluloid Keytops?

[Joseph Garrett]

Ron said: "Sure you could. You just need to make a quick and dirty tapered
thickness
platform with a front stop that leaves the top of the keytop parallel with
the top of the drill press table as you slide the whole mess under the
planer with the key front held against the stop. Sure stinks though! I
prefer prying them off with a knife before planing to make the breathing
easier. Surprise grain direction changes will likely necessitate a minor
key repair or two, but I think the stink tradeoff is worth it."

Ron,
Thanks! I guess the "oldtimers disease" short circuited my think process. A
jig would definately do the trick. However, it'd have to be a big sucker, as
my drill table is large and I don't want to get my paws anywhere near that
"Safety"Planer, (a misnomer IMO! One of my apprentices got her hand chewed
up pretty bad with one of those things!!!:-(), just in case the "taper jig"
causes the planer to "kick"!!!
 As for the prying off, I've not had very good luck with the Celluloid, in
that regard. Olde Plastic, (early versions of current stuff.), Yes. That
stuff usually comes off with just a bit of heat and then prying. You're
right about the darned "grain changes"! Damn, I hate it when that happens!
On a similar note: The last key, (in this case #85), is extremely cut away,
right up TO the key top surface! Because of this, the key trimmer won't have
anything to guide off of and will really screw it up, DAMHIK!<G> Any
thoughts on that? I thought of filling in about a 1/4" of the cut away with
epoxy. It'll add a bit of weight to the key, but at least I'll have
something to guide off of. Hmmm? Every once in a while I get one of these
"posers" in the shop. Sure makes the juices flow. Since this list is a great
source of different ways of looking at things, I thought I'd give y'all a
whack at some of the weird stuff.<G>
Best Regards,

Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)
Captain, Tool Police
Squares Are I