Dremel Keytop Trimmer

[David ilvedson]

I have been using a 1" belt sander, Delta, which I use to remove 
the excess by eye.  I still have to finish up with a file and do 
the notches but it looks great when I'm done. 

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA


> Date:          Thu, 03 Sep 1998 14:54:45 -0700
> From:          Mark Story <mstory@ewu.edu>
> Subject:       Re: Dremel Keytop Trimmer
> To:            pianotech@ptg.org
> Reply-to:      pianotech@ptg.org

> I still notch with my laminate trimmer jig, but I quit trimming the excess
> with a ballbearing laminate trimming bit. My notching jig is just like a
> router table setup, but with a Rockwell lam. trimmer motor in place of a
> router. My (former) trimmer _was_ a router with a ball bearing carbide
> laminate trimmer bit in a router table I had dedicated for this so I didn't
> have to set it up and down. My objection to the trimming bit setup is that
> it has a tendency to slightly overtrim and reduce the overall width of the
> key. It's not much, but I'm sure most of you have had to deal with
> overtrimmed keys - even a little looks terrible and it's no fun to try to
> repair. The other problem is that with weighted keys the bit guide would
> follow the key lead and give you a nice little divot in the top. All in all
> I just bagged it and consigned myself to fileing the excess by hand - I
> usually ended up doing this anyway. You can overtrim by hand too, of course,
> but at least it is under your control.
> 
> Mark Story, RPT
> Eastern Washington University
> mstory@ewu.edu
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paul McCloud <smccloud@ix.netcom.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: Wednesday, September 02, 1998 11:33 PM
> Subject: Dremel Keytop Trimmer
> 
> 
> >List:
> > I mentioned in a reply to Richard Moody the keytop trimming bit I put
> >together for my Dremel tool.  It's a no brainer, really.  It works just
> >like a laminate trimmer, ie., the cutters are straight and cut flush to
> >the edges of the keystick.  I use the router table attachment to the
> >Dremel and trim the keys upside down.  The cutting edges of the bit are
> >just above the surface of the table, exactly the same height as the
> >thickness of the keytop.  Unfortunately you can't get it close to the
> >notch, so you have to finish that by hand.
> > I suppose one could do this just as well with the router attachment
> >instead of the router table.  Just have to clamp the keystick to the
> >bench.
> > Tomorrow I'll check to see what the dimensions of the bit are, as well
> >as the bearing.  They are common sizes, so you should be able to find
> >the bearing at a good supply house.
> > I did make a jig to lay the keystick on it's side, and used a straight
> >router bit to trim the notch.  Since the bit has only two cutting edges,
> >it did not cut very smoothly, and tended to pull at the plastic.  I had
> >to recover one key that got away from me.  I don't think I will try this
> >notching method again.
> >
> > Paul McCloud
> 
> 
> 
David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA
ilvey@jps.net