key broken by two techs

[David Ilvedson]

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I think I would saw a kerf at an angle...|/| bi-secting the splice repa=
ir and hopefull getting rid of some of it?  Can you just cut out the re=
pair's extra wood?  Remember to place the key on a flat surface when gl=
uing it and use the neighboring keys as clamps (wax paper between) and =
also to get the correct length matched up.
Wish we all carried digital cameras for these kind of things.   I'm loo=
king to get a cheap one...any advice on strictly business camera I can =
carry in my kit.

David I.



Original message
From: Tvak@aol.com
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Received: 9/28/2005 12:32:47 PM
Subject: key broken by two techs


List
Got a call from a lady who said, 'her key was broken'.   Skeptical, I a=
sked her about it, and she says that two technicians have tried to fix =
this key and now it's worse than ever.  So, intrigued, I made an appoin=
tment to go look at it.

Turns out the key itself did break and the previous technician spliced =
it back together with splints on each side.  Looked well done.  Things =
is...it looks like he ADDED a bit of wood between the two pieces of the=
 key and now the key is too long.  It sticks out 1/16" past the others =
in front.  I looked at it from every which angle and it is definitely t=
oo long between the balance rail pin and the front of the keytop.  And =
there is definitely a piece of contrasting wood between the two parts o=
f the key.  Unbelievably, it looks like he put some wood inbetween, mak=
ing the key longer.

Why?  Why would he do this?  And when she pointed out to him that it lo=
oked terrible, he said he couldn't do anything about it and left. 

Anyway, here are my two options for remedying this and I'd like to hear=
 pros, cons, or other alternatives.

#1: This key is a pulley key anyway.  Even when pushed all the way back=
, though, it's still 1/16" too long.  So...I could drill out the front =
rim of the balance rail hole, making the front of the balance rail hole=
 closer to the front.  Then treat it as a pulley key; saw a kerf and in=
sert some veneer in the back of the hole, effectively moving the balanc=
e rail hole forward 1/16" and therefore moving the front of the key bac=
kward.

However this will also move the capstan, backcheck and keyend felt back=
 1/16", too.  So, my best option, I think is:

#2: Get a handsaw, and saw the key in half, somewhere other than where =
the splice is, but in front of the balance rail hole, and then glue the=
 two pieces back together.  If I use a big old lumber saw, I should los=
e a 1/16" just where the saw ate the wood up.   Glue it back together, =
and it's 1/16" shorter!

I'm not going to get two chances to fix this.  This key already has two=
 splices in it (it has broken twice in two different places).   It's a =
dogleg key with a notch cut out of it for the glide bolt, so structural=
ly it's the weakest key you could imagine.  The piano is a THE HAMILTON=
 grand.  (That's what it says, THE HAMILTON.)

At this point, it's a matter of pride that I be able to fix this key th=
at two other techs screwed up.  And...I told her in addition to my hour=
ly rate, my fee would include knowing who this other technician was.  B=
ut only if I were able to fix the key.  If not, she could tell my name =
to the guy who did fix it!

I guess a third option would be moving the balance rail pin back 1/16",=
 but that also would move the capstan, etc. back, so I still think the =
saw is the best alternative.

Any thoughts, advice, flames?  

Tom Sivak
Chicago 

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