This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Thanks, Hubert. I have tried some that are cloth circles/washers sewn together, but they = seem too aggressive. I was wondering about the availability of ones with = different materials. I feel I will have to go the mail order route, but I need an address. I will be driving to MARC, from the east coast, what are the names of = some stores I could try? I will be passing Bangor, Portland, down the corridor to Hartford, then = west, but north of New York City. John M. Ross Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca ----- Original Message -----=20 From: hubert liverman=20 To: Pianotech=20 Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 1:57 PM Subject: Re: Moulded Keytops, problems buffing Hi,John I have a motor out of a clothes washer that rotates at 1760 rpm. I = put a chuck on the shaft and it works for misc small jobs. Yard sale = season is at hand and you should be able to pick one up to try at very = little expense. HubertLiverman Tuner/tech Opelika,Al Joe had mentioned problems buffing. I also have problems in this area. I had thought on a softer buffing wheel, but have been unable to = find a source. The selections available at my suppliers, are limited.=20 Any ideas? I had thought on slowing the wheel down. Would that help? John M. Ross jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca=20 From: MICHAEL MORVAN=20 To: Pianotech=20 Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 11:50 AM Subject: Re: Moulded Keytops Joe, I agree with you 100%, thank you, it is wonderful that you = know these things and are willing to share them. Molded keytops are all = the same dimension within one set. Keysticks unfortunately are not = (except for several sets of Yamaha keys I've covered that were within = 0.004 of each other). I've found that most sets of keys differ in = length, width and height. I have one set of keys I'm recovering now = where the keysticks vary in width up to 0.065. This makes recovering = them tricky. If you have a keystick wider than the top you will have to = trim the stick, if the top is wider you will have to trim the top. = Molded tops being the same width have the contours and radiuses "molded" = into them, so if you trim this you will, as you said then have to = reshape them, the radiuses and contour to match and yes, the dreaded = buffing. I prefer to apply what I call custom tops. This is similar to = factory procedures in which you apply a separate top and front. If done = this way one can trim the excess and shape the keys regardless of the = inconsistencies in width and yield good visual results. I've found that = buffing plastic and ivory both have there areas of concern, but I use = different wheels and techniques for both with good results. On the topic = of keytop materials, I'm pretty sure I have all of the material = available within the states and offer them. I have also acquired = material from Aug. Laukhuff and Otto Heuss from Germany as well as P&S = organ supply from England. These materials are of very high quality and = texture but expense prevents their wide use. I've noticed that piano = manufacturers are trending towards thicker and thicker tops, this means = replacement tops will need to be thicker. I actually have a stash of = keytop material that is 0.105 thick, but very rarely use them. I am not = adverse to machining down the keystick to accommodate a new top because = I am doing it on milling machines with tolerances to within a few = thousandths of an inch, and it must be done. If one measures a keystick = at 0.970 and is putting on a top that is 0.075 than you machine the key = to 0.895 and you have retained the original dimension. The original = dimension must be maintained or there will be a regulation nightmare. In = some cases I find that a keystick has been machined with little regard = for tolerances, and then a corrective measure must be applied. Three = choices exist, have a new keyboard made, use a thicker or thinner top = (depending on which direction the error is made), or build up the keys. = Two of these choices are very expensive. Keytop replacement is tricky = and is a decision that should be well thought out. The keyboard is a = major focal point of the piano, it is the interaction point with the = piano and is the foundation of all regulation. It is a challenge to = balance appearance, playability and economy. Joe, what do you mean by = "stink in my shop?" are you referring to a particular glue or the smell = of machining off old plastic and ivory? Mike ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Joe Garrett=20 To: pianotech=20 Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 1:03 AM Subject: Re: Moulded Keytops Michael Morvan said: "The quality of the keytop, quality of the = =3D piano, quality of the rebuild, preference of the customer, = knowledge and =3D preference of the technician and budget. Crappy "molded" keytops = are =3D nice if applied properly, and three thousand dollars worth of = new ivory =3D is "crappy" if not applied properly. Molded keytops have the = advantage =3D of being inexpensive, uniform in shape and appearance, and = relatively =3D easy to apply with minimal skill, tooling and yields fair = results. A =3D disadvantage is that many people feel that they are a cheap top = and as a =3D result do not use them." Michael, What you've said, I agree with. However, it's what you didn't = say about moulded keytops that concerns me. 1. Moulded keytops assumes that all key sets are the same = dimension, which they are not. Therefore, trimming is necessary. Here = lies the rub, as trimming of moulded keytop material is far more = difficult than other materials. Especially in making the key set look = consistant and have a smooth feel under the players hands. Secondly, if = you've ever had to (try) to buff out scratches of moulded key top = material, (and I'm sure you have, if you do keytops for a living.), it's = next to impossible, as the material is too soft and will "burn/gaul" = when even light pressure on a buffing wheel is applied. I'm not saying = it can't be done, but it's a royal pain in the patoot to do!<G> Lastly, = my aversion to moulded keytops is that it is too thick, especially for = many older pianos with tight tolerances of the piano furniture. This = requires milling the keystick down. I am totally averse to this practice = for many reasons. Some of the "moulded keytop material" from Europe is = better as some of it is what we call "Plexiglass". This material can be = sanded and buffed. It's still too thick for my eye.<G> I too do keytops, = but as only part of my overall service to my clients. I used to have = someone else do it, as I really don't like the stink in my shop. Out of = frustration with others I've taken to doing it....stink or not.<G> Regards, Joe Garrett, R.P.T. Captain, Tool Police Squares R I= ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/90/9e/24/0b/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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