Objective key dip measuring; Hamburg v NY frictions

[Kent Swafford]

Ron Torrella wrote:

>1. Does anyone know of a tool that measures keydip objectively - ie., you
>don't have to try relying on identical finger pressure for each key (an
>impossibility in my experience!)? I see depth gages, some of which that
>appear to be spring-loaded. Are these accurate and convenient to use? Do
>they work for black keys equally well? It would also be nice to have such
>an instrument for measuring aftertouch - preferably something where the
>spring tension can be varied ever-so-slightly to allow for heavy-touch
>playing or light-touch playing. (Am I getting too esoteric??)

Bob Ousley, a member of the KC chapter, uses a key dip block that is 
filled with key leads. This would be fairly easy to make from a wooden 
dip block. One might use a forstner bit to put as many holes in the 
bottom of the block as practical and as deep as possible without going 
all the way through the wood, then fill the holes with lead, shave off 
the leads if the holes cannot be deep enough to hold the whole lead, and 
cover the bottom with a piece of veneer. This should be heavy enough to 
take the key down all the way through let-off to the FR punching.

Kent