[pianotech] Key easing question

[Terry Farrell]

I don't know where I bought my key easing pliers, but they are the  
pivoting type. I also found that they did not close sufficiently to  
ease some balance rail bushings. So I just cut a couple little squares  
of poplar veneer and super-glued an appropriate thickness to the steel  
easing pads. I've had it like that for many years now. Work great and  
solved the problem.

Terry Farrell

On Nov 7, 2010, at 1:51 AM, PAULREVENKOJONES at aol.com wrote:

>
>
> In a message dated 11/6/2010 8:29:00 P.M. Central Daylight Time, davidskolnik at optonline.net 
>  writes:
> As for using the off-set Renner pliers for the balance rail, it's  
> perhaps not such a good idea, for two reasons:
> First, the maximum closure of the jaws will often not be enough to  
> compress the thin wall of the key button.
> That's truly new to me. The pair I have have never failed in the  
> straight key buttons to close sufficiently to get enough pressure.  
> Actually, since they don't close entirely, its a failsafe for my not- 
> so-calibrated hands!
> Second, the key buttons are often off-set.  The jaws of the Renner  
> pliers can't compensate for the angle, the way an easing plier with  
> a pivoting jaw can.  This doesn't mean you couldn't still ease the  
> balance bushings with keys in-place, but you'd want to pull the  
> frame out enough to use the other tool.
> Here you are absolutely and totally 100% right, and I don't use the  
> off-set plier on the angled buttons, but rather the pivot-plate plier.
>
> Actually, I rarely run into instances where the balance rail needs a  
> lot of work anyway, except after rebushing, or sometimes in the  
> Spring here in Chicago when the humidity soars.
>
> Nice to hear from you.
>
> Paul
>
>

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