warped keybed

[Stéphane Collin]

Thanks, Terry , for your input.

Yes, this is a high performance piano.  A straight strung 253 cm Bechstein from 1870 (I love those beasts).
Indeed, I think I am going to shim the action keyframe to mate the keybed.

Best regards

Stéphane Collin.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002 1:58 PM
Subject: Re: warped keybed


| Hello Stéphane. I built and replaced a keybed for an old Knabe grand a while back. Some simply screw onto the bottom of the case, and some are mortised into the case (like the Knabe I did). Basically, just copy what was there (only make it straight!).
| 
| BUT! I would highly recommend exhausting ALL methods of mating the keyframe to the keybed BEFORE getting involved in replacing a keybed. Replacing a keybed is a fairly major job. I have never done it, but Roger Jolly has described a method of placing a series of cuts on the keyframe to make it conform to the shape of the keybed. Who cares if the keyframe is not exactly straight? You can always adjust key height and dip to accommodate a keyframe that is not straight.
| 
| If I decided that the keybed HAD to be straight (bending keyframe was not an acceptable alternative - perhaps for performance of the soft pedal - although I find it hard to imagine that), I would consider fairing the keybed with West System epoxy and a fairing filler. OR you could route out grooves in the keybed (perhaps 5 cm wide) to accommodate some nice maple or beech that would form a mirror of the keyframe. Then epoxy that maple into the keybed such that it assumes the original keybed height and is nice and straight. Then the keybed would simply set on top of the new, straight, epoxied-into-the-original-keybed maple.
| 
| I should think any of the above would be worth exploring before giving much thought to replacing the keybed.
| 
| The reason I replaced the keybed on the Knabe was that it had oodles of termite damage and the keybed had almost fallen out! To remove it, I stood the piano up on its flat side, made a small grunt, gave a heave, and it just fell out with a small amount of splintering wood!
| 
| Let us know what you do! Is this a high performance piano? Good luck!
| 
| I wish I had this job. It sounds like fun!
| 
| Terry Farrell
|   
| ----- Original Message ----- 
| From: "Stéphane Collin" <collin.s@skynet.be>
| To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
| Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2002 3:01 PM
| Subject: Re: warped keybed
| 
| 
| Hi Don.
| 
| How could one replace the keybed ?
| 
| Thanks,
| 
| Stéphane.
| 
| ----- Original Message ----- 
| From: "Don" <pianotuna@accesscomm.ca>
| To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
| Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2002 7:30 PM
| Subject: Re: warped keybed
| 
| 
| | Hi Stéphane,
| | 
| | Yes, replace the keybed.
| | 
| | At 05:42 PM 8/27/02 +0200, you wrote:
| | >Hello list.
| | >
| | >Is there a way to cure a wraped keybed in a grand piano ?  There is about
| | 1 cm gap between the front of the action and the keybed.  Should I add some
| | material under the action frame?
| | >Thanks for any idea.
| | >
| | >Stéphane Collin.
| | >
| | >
| | >
| | 
| | Regards,
| | Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.M.T., R.P.T.
| | 
| | mailto:pianotuna@accesscomm.ca
| | 
| | http://us.geocities.com/drpt1948/
| | 
| | 3004 Grant Rd.
| | REGINA, SK
| | S4S 5G7
| | 306-352-3620 or 1-888-29t-uner
| | 
| 
| 
|