A kerf in the keyframe is done at the factory on some pianos. I don't see a problem, although why the slight direction change of the cut at the front of the keyframe? Many pianos have a small lip on the keyframe which is all the contacts the keybed. Yours looks glued by an after market tech. If your key height is normal (matches the key slip, fallboard...case parts, keys are not hanging above front pins or nearly so...I don't know what that spec should be, but you want the top of the keypin inside the mortice several mm's...) and you can bed the problem area, I'd be inclined to leave well enough alone... You do need to turn up the balance rail studs to bed the front rail...then bed the balance rail... David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 Original message From: "Neeper Mann" To: Received: 3/1/2009 1:15:15 PM Subject: [pianotech] shimmed Schimmel Hello! I was partway into regulating a Schimmel 208T grand that was made in the early 90s. The customer bought it from a lady who claims she purchased it new and had minimal servicing while in her possession. When I started to bed the front rail.... things got weird.. There is a saw kerf cut into the center of the front rail... Does ANY piano manufacturer do this?? There were three thick veneer shims glued to the front rail also. They are not sanded flush to the rail... they really stick out. I can slip a section of 150 grit emery cloth under the center of the front rail between two of the shims when everything is screwed down! This is the area beneath the kerf. My initial impulse was to remove those shims... but I packed things up and will go back next week with a ~long~ straightedge to check for warping... I want to check the level of the keybed too... it was somewhat messed up and repaired with some cheap wood filler. It makes me wonder if the keybed is possibly warped. Anyway... Has anyone ever seen anything like this on such a newer piano? Think I might have a real challenge on my hands once I remove those shims? Is there anything you suggest I check prior to digging in? - Surprisingly, there is no knocking, even at the raised part of the front rail at the kerf, save for a section less than an octave long at the upper treble. I am wondering if worse comes to worse, to just put another piece of veneer on the rail at the gap that knocks.... eeeeww! What might be the worst-case scenario here? I have posted pictures of this mess here... http://neesium.com/shimhack/ Any observations would be greatly appreciated! Michael Musial RPT Express your personality in color! Preview and select themes for Hotmail®. See how. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech_ptg.org/attachments/20090301/1967b9d0/attachment.html>
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