Replacing keytops

[Jon Page]

Sam, List:
I'd be interested in other's procedures and some input on mine.

To start with I measure the overall height of the original and remove old
top (heat if nec.).
Next, I plane the surface. On a drill press, I use a plunge router bit(*) as
it has cutting surfaces
on the bottom for a clean surface. The key is clamped in a drill press vice,
set the depth of
cut to maintain the original dimension with new material and passed under
the bit. Testing
squareness. A stop allows a square cut at the back length of the tail for an
inlaid look.
(What I don't like about key machines I've seen is the blade kerf in the key
beyond the plastic).
The new keytop is the same height above keystick as original ivory. PVC-E,
no clamps.

I don't trust myself with belt sanders for trimming, so I hand file and fit
tail notches to sharps.
Takes time but it comes out nice.  Where's a trimming machine?

The one thing I don't like is the letters embossed on the key, >input on
removal - filing,
sanding, etc<  or where is there material (moulded) without the idiot proof
markings.
(C & E tails are wider than B's & F's).

Thanks,
Jon Page
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(*) Woodworker's Supply     800-645-9292        3/4" #818809
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jon Page
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~