Key Leveling

[jolly roger]

Hi Terry,
             Happy that your tuning went well.
A good levelling job can only be done in the piano in my book. I no longer
ever think of doing it on the bench.
The front lip is nearly always irregular, so if you use a Jaras at the
piano, it will follow the irragularities.
Bench regulation is just a rough in, but close enough for rock & roll.
You may have noticed Gina and I was emphatic in our articals about keybeds.
Like a house built on rock, it forms a solid foundation for every thing
that follows.
Solid bedding first, with out this level will wander. Good and solid,
levelling next.  Refined dip and after touch comes much later in the process. 
Roger



At 09:35 PM 1/27/01 -0500, you wrote:
>No sweat Roger, I respect anyone that calls 'em as he sees 'em. When you say
>that "Most key bed, front lips are less than straight" are you speaking of
>just the front half-inch or so where the Jaras aluminum bar would attach to
>the keybed? And when you say straight, are you referring to the keybed not
>being level from left to right, or are you referring to the fact that the
>last half-inch or so of most keybeds may slope downward and toward the
>pianist from the plane (hopefully!) of the keybed - and irregularly at that?
>
>I have never used my Jaras device in a piano. I have always used it on the
>bench. A bench that is straight and level. But there still is a bit of
>wiggle inherent to the rig. I guess I'll have to give the stick a try and
>see if I do better with it. Thanks for your input. I'm curious as to your
>response regarding the above questions.
>
>Terry Farrell
>Piano Tuning & Service
>Tampa, Florida
>mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "jolly roger" <baldyam@sk.sympatico.ca>
>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 11:21 PM
>Subject: Re: Key Leveling
>
>
>> Hi Terry,
>>              Sorry about the slur on you Jaras device, note the term
>> device.  Key leveller they are not, took me quite some time to learn that.
>> Most key bed, front lips are less than straight, so the device just
>follows
>> that less than straight line.  The objective is to attain level key TOPS,
>> not an unlevel key bed.
>> Set the height on the two end keys packed out with F/R heavy card
>> punchings, and taped down to the action frame so they will not move. Use a
>> 48" straight edge to span the end notes. Level all the A's with the long
>> straight edge. then I use a 12" straight edge to fill in the blanks.
>Double
>> check with the long stick to finish off.
>> Ultra thin punchings are availiable from Yamaha. I think they are .0015"
>> but metric <G>
>> PS: the Jaras device is wonderful for setting glide bolts, but it will not
>> show you slightly tilted keys.
>> OK. I'll crawl back under my favorite rock.
>> Roger
>>
>>
>>
>> At 05:11 PM 1/26/01 -0500, you wrote:
>> >I would also like to know the popular technique(s). I was saddened to see
>my
>> >Jaras key leveling device referred to with ill will. What works better. I
>> >don't really like the traditional stick method. Let's hear it!
>> >
>> >Terry Farrell
>> >Piano Tuning & Service
>> >Tampa, Florida
>> >mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
>> >
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "Phil Bondi" <tito@PhilBondi.com>
>> >To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org>
>> >Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 3:59 PM
>> >Subject: Key Leveling
>> >
>> >
>> >> ok..what do you folks like to do a top-notch leveling job?
>> >>
>> >> I'm questioning my own devices.
>> >>
>> >> roo(k)
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>>
>>
>