flat tabletop

[Farrell]

Wow, thanks Ken. This sounds like an excellent way to go. My flat bench
often works good because many piano are flat or nearly so. I hate it when I
regulate a piano and it is WAY out when I get back to the piano. Your
described method (leave it to the Synders!) sounds like it should quickly
and easily get you real close to the shape of the pianos keybed. I'm gonna
try this for sure next time.

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Jankura" <kenrpt@cvn.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2001 12:18 PM
Subject: Re: flat tabletop


>    All this talk about flat workbenches is fine, but most keybeds are not.
> Here are a couple of alternatives. One member in our chapter uses a hollow
> core door and two sawhorses. The door flexes, and changing the distance
> between the sawhorses can replicate both keybeds that are either humped or
> dipped in the center. He uses a thin straight edge to ascertain the
'shape'
> of the front rail in the piano, and recreates it on his decidedly unflat
> bench. He swears by it.
>      I use a system demonstrated by the Snyders, or at least my
> interpretation of it. Bed the keyframe always first and foremost. Next
take
> accurate dip measurements on sample keys  (using a weight can help on the
> accuracy part). At your flat wavy crooked level (flat does help) bench,
use
> a dial gauge to measure the glide bolt height so you can set it back where
> it was easily later. Then go ahead and bed the action to your bench. Now
> recreate the dip measurements you took in the piano. You may have to shim
up
> the back rail with veneer strips. You may have to use finely feathered
shims
> under parts of the front rail to simulate bows or humps or dips. Voila, in
> essence you have recreated the keybed in the privacy of your own shop. The
> only place that can cause a little confusion is if you've had to do
anything
> really drastic (like really shim up the back rail for some reason), your
> string height measurements can be off a little bit. It seems to work
pretty
> well with very little needed back at the piano. There's always some work,
> but yes I'd much rather be home.
>
> > Another suggestion for a flat workbench:
> >
> > I use a discarded soapstone tabletop that was removed from
> > a chemistry laboratory at the University of PA.  These things show
> > up in the hallways periodically on there way out to the dumpster.
> > If you saw all of the useful stuff I see getting wasted, it might
> > make you cry.
> >
> > Larry Toto
> >
> >
> >
>
>