Removing key fronts

[John Ross]

Even a power disk sander, can ignite them.
I have used a heat gun, and knife to remove them. Too much heat from a heat gun will ignite them, as well.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jim Johnson 
  To: Pianotech List 
  Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 12:07 PM
  Subject: Re: Removing key fronts


  A word of caution about using a table saw (or other power tool) to remove key fronts or keytops.  Some of the older pianos used nitro-cellulous based plastic which is very flammable.  It's the same material they used to use for flash powder or gun cotton.  I just about lost my shop one time when a piece of this material heated up in my saw and all the material on the floor ignited in a huge fireball.  Luckily I had a fire extinguisher at hand and put it out.  I never removed the burn marks from the base of the saw so that I would always be reminded of how dangerous this stuff can be.
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Dean May 
    To: 'Pianotech List' 
    Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2007 6:10 PM
    Subject: RE: Removing key fronts


    Ditto, sort of. I clamp a piece of wood on the fence, lower the blade, then move the fence over until the left edge of the wood just covers the left edge of the saw blade. Turn the saw on and slowly raise the blade allowing it to cut a semi-circle into your new wood fence. After you get the blade  a couple inches higher than your key, lower it slightly and turn off. You now have a fence that you can set for cutting thinner than the saw kerf. Just move the fence over to the right to get the thickness you wish to cut off the key. 

     

    My Ryobi saw has a built miter sled that makes the job a snap. I just square the key against the miter fence, push the front against my wooden fence, increase my grip on the key against the miter fence and push through the blade. For keys with the dogleg going the wrong way (ie, bass) I flip the miter fence around and hold the key against the near side of the miter fence. 

     

    To set your cut depth, use a scrap piece of wood and cut just a small corner. Hold your new keyfront on that corner to see if the cut is deep enough to make it flush. Adjust accordingly.

     

    Once you are set up it goes really fast.

     

    There is also in the Journal a series of articles by Bill Spurlock on recovering keys with a nifty jig to do this job on a router. I think they are from the early eighties. If you have the Journal on CD (why wouldn't you?) you can get them by searching on author. 

     

    Dean

    Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 

    PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 

    Terre Haute IN  47802


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    From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Mike Kurta
    Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2007 4:56 PM
    To: fretsandkeys at earthlink.net; Pianotech List
    Subject: Re: Removing key fronts

     

        Hi Bill:

        You will get lots of answers to your question.  My favorite method is using a table saw.  I clamp a stop block ahead of the blade which gives you a depth adjustment.  By carefully setting it up, you can cut just the front off the end of the key, or if your new material is thicker than the old, you can cut an additional thin slice of wood off at the same time.  You may have to make up a jig attached to the miter guide because of the angles on the keys.  Then holding the key firmly to the guide, push the key slowly through the blade.  You can do a set in 15 minutes.  You can do a similar process using a radial arm saw.  

        Mike Kurta
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