to bush keys or not to bush

[Richard Moody]

I know you know the test for ease of key bushings.  Then are they so wide
they "thump"?   Another test is to push them down sideways to see if
excess friction occurs then. After all in playing, the keys do not all get
pushed "straight down" every time.    BUT if you re-bush, do your keys
then pass this test??  Due to the quality of key bushing material over the
last 20 years do you wonder why they were graphited? 
	Of course if they have been rebushed before, you are really at
variables.... 

Richard Moody 
----------
> From: harvey <harvey@greenwood.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: My turn!
> Date: Friday, August 21, 1998 10:48 AM
> 
> I'd like a consensus from the group, if you please.
> 
> Piano: Steinway 'B' circa 1975; Teflon, various other, ah,
"acceleration"
> features
> 
> Mission: Routine action/tone regulation; internal cleaning/cosmetics
package
> 
> Objective: To be completed in time for an in-home but nonetheless
serious
> chamber music event featuring guest artists. (For the un-initiated,
chamber
> music means they bring their own fifes and fiddles, and that the
Steinway
> must pretend it's some other brand and not compete for available
acoustic
> space). 
> 
> Existing customer complaints: None
> 
> Existing technician (that would be me) complaints: Several small things.
> Also don't like the way the action feels, but will save those sentiments
> until some routine procedures have been completed.
> 
> Related other: I confess to working on much older S&S units than this,
and
> frankly don't know what is 'factory' for this vintage. Customer is
second
> owner, but everything looks like I'm the first to pop the hood. Since I
> started in the usual place (for me), i.e, keyframe/keys, I'll confine my
> comments to this area for now.
> 
> I'm accustomed to rebushing keys as part of an action reconditioning
after
> this number of years. This instrument has had very low usage, despite
the
> age, and my usual indicators for rebushing just aren't there. In other
> words, everything is within specification and tolerance. That's the good
> part. The rest of the story:
> 
> a. the existing bushings contain [dry] graphite only in the bushing to
pin
> contact area. This "coating" is so uniform and symmetrical inside the
> mortices that it appears to be factory, but I can't imagine how (or why)
it
> was done;
> 
> b. I don't like graphite, wet or dry, on key bushings;
> 
> c. from an aesthetics (only) standpoint, the bushings leave a lot to be
> desired.
> 
> Question 1: Is the graphite a stock condition?
> Question 2: Does this vintage have unusually ugly key bushing work? It
> looks strangely familiar -- like something that would come from the
> Pratt-Read Clemson division.
> 
> To bush or not to bush... that is the immediate question, at least until
> something else comes up! <g> Oh yes, almost forgot. Let's not consider
> cleaning the graphite as a viable option. I think the results would be
> worse than the existing condition. Speaking of worse, it'll be my luck
that
> if I do rebush, I'll find the white thermo-nuclear activated adhesive
glop
> holding the bushings in place.
> 
> Thanks in advance for your collective wisdom and opinions!
> 
> 
> Jim Harvey, RPT
> ___________________
> "Windows-95 is a 32 bit extension and graphical shell for a 16 bit
> patch to an 8 bit operating system originally coded for a 4 bit
> microprocessor, written by a 2 bit company, that can't stand 1 bit of
> competition." [Author unknown, but wish it had been me -jh-]