perpetually sticking keys

[David Love]

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I wouldn't go that far.  But I would take the trouble, at this point, to
remove the action so that you can easily check the centers and spoons.
While you have the action disconnected from the keys you can also more
easily check the key friction.  I'm inclined to think that the spoons
are the culprit.  When you are at the piano, push the pedal down and
then play the action top to bottom with very slow release.  If you get
more sticking than without the pedal down it may very well be the
spoons.  Removing the action on a drop action spinet is a bit of a  pain
but not that big a deal. Bring an action cradle so you can take it home
if you need to or comfortably work on it in her home.  If the spoons are
corroded and/or have eaten a hole in the damper lever felt, you will
have to replace the felt and polish the spoons which might be more
easily done in the shop without someone looking over your shoulder.
While the action is in the cradle you can test action centers and more
easily apply protech where you want it without hosing.  
 
David Love
davidlovepianos@comcast.net 
-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
Behalf Of Piannaman@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2005 7:26 AM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Re: perpetually sticking keys
 
Tom,
 
I think I'd be inclined to give her the money back and bring the piano
back in to your workspace.  It may be a loss right up front, but in the
end you won't have the fear of that "I have a sticky key" phone call.
If you can't afford to do that, check ALL of the centers.  
 
If jiffy leads can't sink those keys, there's SOMETHING weird going on.
 
Dave Stahl
 
In a message dated 1/23/05 7:10:46 AM Pacific Standard Time,
Tvak@aol.com writes:

I got in too deep this time.  I sold a little spinet piano last month. I
had replaced the damper felts, key bushings, and keytops.  I included a
free tuning and although there was no written guarantee, I promised her
that the piano was in good working order.  Which it was.  

While the piano was in my posession, I did have ALOT of trouble getting
the keys eased so that they would return promptly.  Every time I went
out to the shop I'd find another key that wouldn't come back up, but I
thought I had them all taken care of.  And if she had any problems, I
planned to install lead weights on the back of the keys.

Which I did, two weeks ago, when she called to tell me that there were a
couple of sticking keys.  With the weights installed, I figured that
would be the last I'd hear from her. 

Nope.

She called yesterday with more sticking keys.  Now, it's winter here in
Chicago, the indoor climate is dry, compared to spring, which is only a
few months away.  If she's having problems now, oh boy.

My question is: what the heck can I do next?  I've eased the keys from
here till Sunday.   I put the lead weights all the way at the back of
the key for maximum effect.  I polished the keypins and sprayed them
with TFL50. I don't know what to do next to get myself out of this
quagmire.  I want her to be satisfied with this instrument.  I want to
stop driving the 25 miles to her house.

HELP!
 

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