Replacing keytops

[David ilvedson]

> Date:          Wed, 30 Apr 1997 21:27:09 -0400 (EDT)
> From:          Les Smith <lessmith@buffnet.net>
> Subject:       Re: Replacing keytops
> To:            pianotech@byu.edu
> Reply-to:      pianotech@byu.edu

Ditto that!  I have considered a router ala Spurlock's article
in the Journal but have a bit of fear for the blade...

ilvey
Pacifica, CA


> Jon:
>
> Personally, I can't imagine trimming keytops with anything but a 1"
> belt sander. (One with a provision for dust collection) It does 95%
> of the work, leaving only a small about of by-hand finishing necessary.
>
> Les Smith
> lessmith@buffnet.net
>
> On Wed, 30 Apr 1997, Jon Page wrote:
>
> > Sam, List:
> > I'd be interested in other's procedures and some input on mine.
> >
> > To start with I measure the overall height of the original and remove old
> > top (heat if nec.).
> > Next, I plane the surface. On a drill press, I use a plunge router bit(*) as
> > it has cutting surfaces
> > on the bottom for a clean surface. The key is clamped in a drill press vice,
> > set the depth of
> > cut to maintain the original dimension with new material and passed under
> > the bit. Testing
> > squareness. A stop allows a square cut at the back length of the tail for an
> > inlaid look.
> > (What I don't like about key machines I've seen is the blade kerf in the key
> > beyond the plastic).
> > The new keytop is the same height above keystick as original ivory. PVC-E,
> > no clamps.
> >
> > I don't trust myself with belt sanders for trimming, so I hand file and fit
> > tail notches to sharps.
> > Takes time but it comes out nice.  Where's a trimming machine?
> >
> > The one thing I don't like is the letters embossed on the key, >input on
> > removal - filing,
> > sanding, etc<  or where is there material (moulded) without the idiot proof
> > markings.
> > (C & E tails are wider than B's & F's).
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Jon Page
> > Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net)
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > (*) Woodworker's Supply     800-645-9292        3/4" #818809
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> >
> > Jon Page
> > Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net)
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> >
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> >
> >
>
>
>