This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment I think I would saw a kerf at an angle...|/| bi-secting the splice repa= ir and hopefull getting rid of some of it? Can you just cut out the re= pair's extra wood? Remember to place the key on a flat surface when gl= uing it and use the neighboring keys as clamps (wax paper between) and = also to get the correct length matched up. Wish we all carried digital cameras for these kind of things. I'm loo= king to get a cheap one...any advice on strictly business camera I can = carry in my kit. David I. Original message From: Tvak@aol.com To: pianotech@ptg.org Received: 9/28/2005 12:32:47 PM Subject: key broken by two techs List Got a call from a lady who said, 'her key was broken'. Skeptical, I a= sked her about it, and she says that two technicians have tried to fix = this key and now it's worse than ever. So, intrigued, I made an appoin= tment to go look at it. Turns out the key itself did break and the previous technician spliced = it back together with splints on each side. Looked well done. Things = is...it looks like he ADDED a bit of wood between the two pieces of the= key and now the key is too long. It sticks out 1/16" past the others = in front. I looked at it from every which angle and it is definitely t= oo long between the balance rail pin and the front of the keytop. And = there is definitely a piece of contrasting wood between the two parts o= f the key. Unbelievably, it looks like he put some wood inbetween, mak= ing the key longer. Why? Why would he do this? And when she pointed out to him that it lo= oked terrible, he said he couldn't do anything about it and left. Anyway, here are my two options for remedying this and I'd like to hear= pros, cons, or other alternatives. #1: This key is a pulley key anyway. Even when pushed all the way back= , though, it's still 1/16" too long. So...I could drill out the front = rim of the balance rail hole, making the front of the balance rail hole= closer to the front. Then treat it as a pulley key; saw a kerf and in= sert some veneer in the back of the hole, effectively moving the balanc= e rail hole forward 1/16" and therefore moving the front of the key bac= kward. However this will also move the capstan, backcheck and keyend felt back= 1/16", too. So, my best option, I think is: #2: Get a handsaw, and saw the key in half, somewhere other than where = the splice is, but in front of the balance rail hole, and then glue the= two pieces back together. If I use a big old lumber saw, I should los= e a 1/16" just where the saw ate the wood up. Glue it back together, = and it's 1/16" shorter! I'm not going to get two chances to fix this. This key already has two= splices in it (it has broken twice in two different places). It's a = dogleg key with a notch cut out of it for the glide bolt, so structural= ly it's the weakest key you could imagine. The piano is a THE HAMILTON= grand. (That's what it says, THE HAMILTON.) At this point, it's a matter of pride that I be able to fix this key th= at two other techs screwed up. And...I told her in addition to my hour= ly rate, my fee would include knowing who this other technician was. B= ut only if I were able to fix the key. If not, she could tell my name = to the guy who did fix it! I guess a third option would be moving the balance rail pin back 1/16",= but that also would move the capstan, etc. back, so I still think the = saw is the best alternative. Any thoughts, advice, flames? Tom Sivak Chicago ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/d5/83/97/0e/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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