Key bushing Removal: Addendum

[David Love]

Thanks to Chris Gregg for recommending the Eureka Hot Shot Steamer for
key bushing removal.  It's an excellent tool for removing key bushings
plus I can clean the tile in my bathroom when I'm really bored.  With
the 90 degree nozzle attachment you can just set it on the bench and
rotate the keys one at a time doing both the balance and front rail at a
go.  The push button release allows you to turn the steam on and off as
needed and not turn your shop into a steam room.  I find that presoaking
the bushings is still helpful.  

I did discover something in this process which helps size the balance
rail hole correctly.  The steam produced by this product comes out with
a fair amount of force and tends to oversize the balance rail hole
necessitating a fair amount of reaming (as do most steaming processes).
To remedy this I took a new balance rail pin, same size as the original,
and slid a cloth front rail punching about halfway down it and then
tacked the punching in place with a drop of CA glue.  When steaming out
the balance rail bushing, I held the key upside down over the steam jet
having first inserted the prepared balance rail pin into the balance
rail hole.  The attached punching keeps it from sliding down into the
key.  When injecting the steam into the mortise, the balance rail hole
is sized around the inserted pin.  Leave it in place to cool for a
moment as you turn the key around and steam out the front rail bushing.
Then remove it and go on to the next key in the same manner.  When I
slid the keys back onto the balance rail pins in the frame after
installing the new bushings, they fit perfectly with very little, if
any, reaming required.  With the iron and strip of cloth method of
steaming, this would not be possible.

BTW, I was able to find the Eureka Hot Shot Steamer for $49.00 at
www.allbrands.com/products/abp02149-0391.html?ppc=froogle


David Love
davidlovepianos@comcast.net