steinway keys

[MICHAEL MORVAN]

Rick,
    I will post that picture again with this reply. It is normal and smart to have a thin piece of wood glued to the front of the key under ivory or bone fronts.  The reason is because nothing glues well to end grain in this manner (a butt joint).  Ivory and bone are less porous than wood so their joint is even poorer still, again, in this manner, but if you glue your ivory on to wood first, usually Basswood, it will glue up better to the end grain than the ivory or bone by itself, thus giving you the most effective glue joint for the situation. Plastic fronts don't have these same problems, they are not a natural material, and don't expand and contract like ivory and wood, plus they are not porous, so their bond works on a different principle.  Good luck,   Mike

Michael A. Morvan
Blackstone Valley Piano
Dedicated To Advancing The Art Of Keyboard Restoration
76 Sutton Street
Uxbridge, Ma. 01569
(508) 278-9762
Keymaestro at verizon.net
www.pianoandorgankeys.com                                                                                              
www.thepianorebuilders.com
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: richard.ucci at att.net 
  To: Pianotech List 
  Sent: Sunday, March 02, 2008 1:26 PM
  Subject: Re: steinway keys


  Hi Mike,

  Couldn't get an image to come up, but yes , that is the situation. Is it norman to have that 1-2 mm piece of wood at the front with the ivory front glued to it? Couldn't I just remove the whole piece with the ivory still attached and glue on a new front?



  It may end up being a couple mm more in distance from the keyslip, but I don't think that would be a problem. 


    -------------- Original message from "MICHAEL MORVAN" <keymaestro at verizon.net>: -------------- 


    Rick,
        If the problem you are having is the same as the picture below than the options are few. The front peels forward with the ivory attached to it, and after years of play, crud gets stuck behind it and the oils from fingers usually penetrate the wood and prevent it from reattaching even with a proper clamp and glue. Heat the fronts with an iron and try to scrape them off without damaging the surface then apply new ones.   Good Luck,    Mike

    Michael A. Morvan
    Blackstone Valley Piano
    Dedicated To Advancing The Art Of Keyboard Restoration
    76 Sutton Street
    Uxbridge, Ma. 01569
    (508) 278-9762
    Keymaestro at verizon.net
    www.pianoandorgankeys.com                                                                                              
    www.thepianorebuilders.com
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: richard.ucci at att.net 
      To: pianotech at ptg.org 
      Sent: Sunday, March 02, 2008 12:05 PM
      Subject: steinway keys


      Hi folks,
      I'm working on a Steinway grand ca:1911.
      The keyfronts are pulling away from the top, sort of curving out towards the front like this (.
      They also seem to be comprised of a 1-2 mm separate piece of wood glued to the keystick with the front glued to it.

      Should I pull all of them off and just go with new keyfronts ? The fronts seem to be ivory, but are cracking.

      Thanks,
      Rick Ucci/Ucci Piano
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