You called me superfluous?! Why, them's fightin' words!! :-) I will respectfully disagree that taking this small extra measure is superfluous. I have done it without such guide punchings, only to find that there was pilot error (no, I'm not talkin' about me!) and I did not get a straight line at the front. Small errors, but errors none the less. The idea of using the punchings and glue is not mine, but I can't remember who to give proper credit to. I hope your method will give you the results you seek. Will -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of John Delacour Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 1:28 PM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Pully keys I've ended up doing this job using the Schaff tool and the hornbeam wrest-plate bushings, and, if I don't count the time spent working out the job, it is quick, accurate and efficacious. The plate bushings are slightly larger than the socket made by the tool and have a 2mm pilot bore running about half way down. To reduce the diameter I stuck a dolly wire in a Dremel type tool, runed the onto the end and drew them across a sheet of abrasive paper -- a few seconds work to get a perfect interference fit. I set the tool to cut the socket to a depth of a full 3mm, just to clear the end of the original balance hole and make visible the 1/4 inch drilling beyond. I then brushed the bushing with hot animal glue and tapped it home in the socket, pilot hole down because that end is chamfered. Then, with the key upside down in the vice, I cut the protruding dowel flush with the line of the key using a Japanese saw and then a paring chisel to reveal the pilot hole ready for drilling out with a 3.6mm drill and burnishing with an awl. I'll post pictures of the process in the next few days. It looks so far like a solid and durable job. I have yet to lay the keys, but I am not too anxious because, as I said before, the pilot shank on the tool aligns itself to the _sides_ of the hole and slight pressure towards the back of the key when starting the milling-out prevents any influence from the crushed side. Will Truit's idea is good but time-consuming and --I hope I don't have to eat the word! -- superfluous. When I look at the keys I'd give equal blame for the oval holes to Steinway/Kluge for bad design, prima donnas for daft playing and previous technicians for rough removal and replacement of the keys. On the old Steinways and most good pianos the balance pins are angled backwards to enable the key to be removed by first raising the front and then gently lifting off by the chase (button). Already in 1916 Wolfenden was complaining that some makers had stopped this practice, and he was right to complain. Clumsy and thoughtless technicians are in the great majority and the angling of the balance pins can certainly minimize the damage they can do to the keys while making things easier also for the minority. JD
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