Young Chang Sticking Keys

[Dean May]

Julia wrote:          >> The first thing I do when a key sticks is to place
my finger under the wippen. If the wippen moves freely and kicks the jack up
to hit the but, and the hammer plays, then I know it is the key that is
sticking. Then I test the key, usually thats where it is sticking<<

 

I don't think that is a very good test. I've seen several sluggish keys
caused by whippen centers too tight that would pass Julia's test. 

 

Hold the whippen up with a finger is a good way to test the key. With the
weight of the whippen off the key you can raise and lower the key to get a
feel for excess friction. 

 

Dean

 

 

  _____  

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of KeyKat88 at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 2:14 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: Young Chang Sticking Keys

 

Greetings Joe,

 

          The first thing I do when a key sticks is to place my finger under
the wippen. If the wippen moves freely and kicks the jack up to hit the but,
and the hammer plays, then I know it is the key that is sticking. Then I
test the key, usually thats where it is sticking. If the key doesnt move up
and down bu the wippen and all that comes after it in the power chain, then
It could be the key bushing, either at the balance rail or the front rail.
In that case ease the bushing. 

 

         If the wippen is the difficult one to move with my finger then, I
examine the jack to see if that bushing isnt swelled, or if the jack flange
hasnt come unglued. You can also try to just move the hammer, gently with
your finger, by giving it a little push. If the hammer is stuck, then it
could be the hammer bushing (center pin bushing in butt) that is swelled. On
Chickering and some Kimball consoles these hammer butt bushings have a
tendency to absorb the atmostpheric moisture and swell. In that case they
should be treated with a few drops of alcohol to water mixture. (about 1 to
5 ratio respectively) (some use 1 to 10 or less) 

 

Sometimes I have found the keysticks warped/twisted so badly and out of
shape that their backs were rubbing one another on the sides. And once I
found the very top key (c) was rubbing on a small block of wood which was
attatched to the cheek block!! I simply sanded it down.  

 

     The key is to isolate the sticking part in the power chain. key,
wippen, jack, hammer butt. Not necissarily in that order.  (I usuallly start
with the wippen, as described above)  Also, sometimes pencils, small toys or
other things that drop inside the piano could be the culprit. Once there was
a quarter stuck between two keys in a grand piano so far down that the
keyboard looked normal, I didnt see it untill I had the whole action drawer
slid out! 

 

Julia Gottshall

Reading, PA      

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