key broken by two techs?

[Tvak@aol.com]

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 List
Got a call from a lady who said, 'her key was broken'.=A0=A0 Skeptical, I as=
ked=20
her about it, and she says that two technicians have tried to fix this key a=
nd=20
now it's worse than ever.=A0 So, intrigued, I made an appointment to go look=
 at=20
it.

Turns out the key itself did break and the previous technician spliced it=20
back together with splints on each side.=A0 Looked well done.=A0 Things is..=
.it looks=20
like he ADDED a bit of wood between the two pieces of the key and now the ke=
y=20
is too long.=A0 It sticks out 1/16" past the others in front.=A0 I looked at=
 it=20
from every which angle and it is definitely too long between the balance rai=
l=20
pin and the front of the keytop.=A0 And there is definitely a piece of=20
contrasting wood between the two parts of the key.=A0 Unbelievably, it looks=
 like he put=20
some wood inbetween, making the key longer.

Why?=A0 Why would he do this?=A0 And when she pointed out to him that it loo=
ked=20
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=
,=20
cons, or other alternatives.

#1: This key is a pulley key anyway.=A0 Even when pushed all the way back,=20
though, it's still 1/16" too long.=A0 So...I could drill out the front rim o=
f the=20
balance rail hole, making the front of the balance rail hole closer to the=20
front.=A0 Then treat it as a pulley key; saw a kerf and insert some veneer i=
n the=20
back of the hole, effectively moving the balance rail hole forward 1/16" and=
=20
therefore moving the front of the key backward.

However this will also move the capstan, backcheck and keyend felt back=20
1/16", too.=A0 So, my best option, I think is:

#2: Get a handsaw, and saw the key in half, somewhere other than where the=20
splice is, but in front of the balance rail hole, and then glue the two piec=
es=20
back together.=A0 If I use a big old lumber saw, I should lose a 1/16" just=20=
where=20
the saw ate the wood up.=A0=A0 Glue it back together, and it's 1/16" shorter=
!

I'm not going to get two chances to fix this.=A0 This key already has two=20
splices in it (it has broken twice in two different places).=A0=A0 It's a do=
gleg key=20
with a notch cut out of it for the glide bolt, so structurally it's the weak=
est=20
key you could imagine.=A0 The piano is a THE HAMILTON grand.=A0 (That's what=
 it=20
says, THE HAMILTON.)

At this point, it's a matter of pride that I be able to fix this key that tw=
o=20
other techs screwed up.=A0 And...I told her in addition to my hourly rate, m=
y=20
fee would include knowing who this other technician was.=A0 But only if I we=
re=20
able to fix the key.=A0 If not, she could tell my name to the guy who did fi=
x it!

I guess a third option would be moving the balance rail pin back 1/16", but=20
that also would move the capstan, etc. back, so I still think the saw is the=
=20
best alternative.

Any thoughts, advice, flames?=A0

Tom Sivak
Chicago

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