[CAUT] Keybed repair

[Ken Zahringer]

Hey, Dave,

I'm a charter member of the "I Can Do It" Club, but I think in this case I
would arrange to send the piano to NY and let Steinway try to rebuild it.
You appear to have some serious problems to deal with here.  If "it seems as
if the rim has spread apart a bit at the bottom but not the top", maybe it
has.

Good Luck,
Ken Z.


On 3/1/07 7:17 AM, "Dave Doremus" <algiers_piano at bellsouth.net> wrote:

> Has anyone repaired/replaced a Steinway keybed? I have a model B, 20
> years old, that was flooded up to the keyframe. The soundboard is
> still in amazingly good shape. It needs complete new action, keys,
> dampers, strings, tuning pins, finish work etc, etc. All that is
> massive but fairly normal. What Im worried about is that it looks
> like the keybed has swollen, opening about a 3/16" gap between the
> rail and stiles in the treble end. There are no gaps at the belly
> rail or stretcher. It almost seems as if the rim has spread apart a
> bit at the bottom but not the top. The rim is intact, no cracks or
> gaps. I have not tried applying any clamps yet, Im still figuring out
> whether or not to attempt anything at all. The owner would really
> like to save it if at all possible, having heard all my usual
> warnings about the long term viability of the instrument after
> exposure to that kind of moisture. Advice?

-- 
Ken Zahringer, RPT
University of Missouri
School of Music