key doublets

[David M. Porritt]

Newton:

I don't want to do the CA thing because with any luck I'll still be
the next poor guy who has to pull out the wires.  I've thought of the
plug idea.  I guess the truth is, this doesn't sound like a fun fix.
Maybe some key person will be able to do it fast and cheap - yeah,
right.  

thanks,

dave

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 11/4/01 at 12:46 PM Newton Hunt wrote:

>There is an easy solution.  CA.  But God help the poor schnook who
has
>to change the wires 18 years from now.
>
>I have found the same problem on some older pianos.  The wire may
well
>go into the soft wood of the key and bending the wire makes it
waggle
>around at the bottom of the hole.
>
>What is needed is wood or larger wires.
>
>The wood is easier, long term.
>
>I would make a jig to hold the key at the right angle and use a
>Forestner bit to drill almost all the way through the key, cut hard
wood
>plugs, orient the grain cross wise.  Drill the new holes before
trimming
>off the plug ends so you will be drilling perpendicular to the plug.

>Push in new Backchecks.
>
>Before starting check the geometry, wire lengths, etc.
>
>Or you could ship them out to someone else who can do the work.
>
>Just don't glue them suckers in, quite yet.
>
>		Newton


_____________________________
David M. Porritt
dporritt@mail.smu.edu
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275
_____________________________