[pianotech] Best Bushing Job Ever!

[John Dorr]

Hi,

Best bushing job by ME, that is!  No doubt there have been better jobs by 
others, but I was so elated at how well my last job went, I thought I had to 
share this.

Usually when I return with the keys I allow some time to ease those that may 
be a little tight yet.  On average, I suppose that's ten keys or so.  This 
last job ALL of the bushings were a PERFECT fit.  The only thing I had to do 
was ream a couple of the insides of the balance holes - with a reamer I got 
from Jurgen (fine tool).

I think what may have made the difference this time was that I ironed all the 
bushings lightly at the end of the job.  OR, it may have been that it was my 
first use of what Schaff calls their "extra quality key bushing cloth".  What 
do you think?  Either or both?

For ironing I used the Schaff 5-in-1 Electric Iron Kit, #99, shown on page 66 
of their catalog.

I controlled the heat with a light dimmer that I bought from a local lighting 
store.  It works great and was 1/4 the cost of the #906 ESICO Wattage 
Controller shown above the Iron Kit in the Schaff Catalog.  You plug the 
dimmer cord into the wall, and then plug the iron into the dimmer, so it's 
like getting an extension cord as well as a wattage controller.  That iron 
gets pretty hot on full wattage, and the bushing cloth would surely burn on 
HI.

Hope somebody gets some help from this.  From now on I'll do all bushing jobs 
this way.  The "extra quality" bushing cloth is not much more $$ at all, and 
the ironing takes only a couple of minutes.

John Dorr
Helena, MT