Jon asked: >Before I start fashioning jigs, has anyone devised a means to keep the ivory >in place while the hot glue sets under the heated ivory plate. >Once the heated plate is clamped, the ivory has a tendency to slide on the >water >layer underneath. Some means is needed to secure the ivory on the key and not >interfere with the plate. >I have tried all types of other adhesives and am convinced that hot hide glue >mixed 5 to 1 with titanium oxide (show white) is the best, longest-lasting >method >not to mention authentic. Well yes, but historic ivory tends to be much thicker than modern ivory. The thick stuff (historic thicknesses) can be glued with 300 hide glue. Heat the ivory on an old iron to "Synthetics" and use a thick glue. No problems clamping because that glue is very sticky and sets up very fast. The old guys used to glue white linen under the ivory for very thin cut stuff...hence the invention of modern ivory wafers. But linen works fine. If ivory has been handled much, wash it in ammonia and let it dry well first. Ivory is very hygroscopic hence the use of quite thick glue to avoid cupping when the water is sapped out of the glue. >I am trying one now using spring clamps on the sides to hold the ivory in >place. >This might be the easiest way. These side clamps would not need to stay on as >long as the plate clamp, just long enough for the glue to set up. I >usually leave the >ivory clamped for at least three hours when simply securing loose fronts. For gluing key coverings thick off cuts of clear plastic slabs are quite useful, becuase you can clamp and still see what is going on underneath if things move. Shops that sell custom cut plastics always have junk lying around to sell. Stephen Stephen Birkett Fortepianos Authentic Reproductions of 18th and 19th Century Pianos 464 Winchester Drive Waterloo, Ontario Canada N2T 1K5 tel: 519-885-2228 mailto: sbirkett@real.uwaterloo.ca
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