Keytop routing techniques

[Ron Nossaman]

>
> List,
> Since the thread has been keytops, I would appreciate some input. I just
> started doing my own keytops with the aid of an Olsland machine.  I acquired
> the planer/resurfacer and the notching machine.
> The question I have is seems to be finding the safest and best way to route
> down the the long edges. Some use a laminate router bit with guide and some
> use a sanding disc.
> What's the consensus out there?
> Also what is the keytop cement of choice.  I was introduced to using acetone
> and a melted plastic keytop made into a honey viscosity consistently.  Within
> 30 seconds the bond is strong.  The downside is you have to be extremely
> careful not to transfer any acetone anywhere near the surface of the key or
> the finish will be marred.
> So bring it on.  Would be interested in your comments on learning the tricks
> of the trade.
> Tom Servinsky,RPT



Tom,
Your notcher has a side trimmer built in. I use mine to remove the bulk of the
keytop overhang, then go through them again at the bench vise with a mill file
to clean up and round over. Whatever you use for trimming, if you install
keytops with fronts, the fronts will be in the way of your depth index and have
to be dealt with by hand. I also use the planer to trim fronts off to
accommodate the replacement thickness, just like with the tops. I suspect there
used to be an attachment for just that purpose, since there are milled slots
and tapped holes in the carriage in an appropriate place for such a thing, but
I've never seen what was supposed to go there. I cobbled something up out of
Delignit scrap (it is, after all, tooling stock) that works well enough.

Another vote for PVC-E for the adhesive.


Ron N