Weldbond

[k.swafford@genie.com]

>Ted; I've had 100% success with Weldbond white glue.  I apply the glue
>to the molding, and do everything else as you do.  Take off the string
>or elastic on the next visit and, Voila!  (oops I used another
>language. ) I mean, There you have it!
>
>Rory Fader, RPT
>Delta, B.C. Canada
>rfader@dowco.com

     I have also had good success with Weldbond.  I guess I've heard
that some think it isn't as strong as Titebond, but Weldbond has some
properties that make it a permanent fixture in my tool case.

     Weldbond has some of the properties of contact cement.  You can
apply it to the parts to be glued, and let them sit until the glue is
tacky.  The parts can then be put together, and the glue will grab
immediately and yet the parts can still be repositioned.  Weldbond is
_the_ way to reglue a sharp that has come off a key.

     Because it grabs so fast, Weldbond can be used where clamping is
difficult.  I use it for difficult action part repairs where others
might use CA glue.

     I have used it to reglue a broken key.  For me, _clamping_ a
broken key always results in a key with a shape that is different from
the original one.  I use Weldbond and work the parts together by hand
while sitting the key on a flat surface to insure that the key ends up
flat along its underside.  Do the repair as soon as you find that it
is necessary, and by the time you have tuned the rest of the piano,
you can put the broken key back into the piano and tune that note.

     We all know that when the felt comes off a hammer molding that
the hammer is ruined and needs replacement.  That said, I have used
Weldbond to glue hammer felt back on to its molding.  (Must be
clamped.)

     We also all know that a broken hammer shank should be replaced.
However, I _have_ glued hammer shanks back together that had broken
off right at the hammers, without clamps, then tuned the rest of the
piano, and then, having waiting until the last possible moment, tuned
the notes that had had the broken hammers.  I've done it several
times, as a matter of fact.  Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't
done it myself.  Try it if you are in a situation where you can't
replace the shank.

                                             Kent Swafford