"white glue"

[Susan Kline]

Hi, Mike

I use Elmer's. Any of the other water-based glues such as carpenter's 
yellow glue, Titebond, etc., will react with the CA, but I usually use 
Elmer's.

A good dry fit is essential. While the two-glues may fill small gaps, they 
aren't a real gap-filler like epoxy is.

For gluing on keytops, you don't need much white glue (at all.) I've often 
done just fine by cleaning the old cloth underlayment with a damp rag, to 
get the black dirt off. This gives just enough dampness to set the CA glue, 
and it leaves a little of the old hide glue, which is compatible with the 
CA glue. If you doubt that CA will bond well enough to the barely damp 
keystick, or if you had to take off the old cloth underlay, so that you 
have bare wood, you can just put a little smear of Elmer's evenly over the 
whole area. Go very light toward the seam, since you don't want it to 
squeeze through and ruin the evenness of the join. Put on the Elmer's 
first, since it gives you a longer working time than the CA.

You shouldn't put the white glue on the ivory, since it will absorb the 
moisture and warp. The back of the ivory must, of course, be clean. The 
ivory should be reasonably unwarped. If you're gluing down an ivory where 
the side edges curl up, you should probably use a key clamp and a different 
glue.

Once all is ready, I lay the ivory face down on a paper towel or newspaper, 
and put several little dots of CA glue onto it. I then spread this 
(quickly) with a small screwdriver, taking it right to the edges, but once 
again trying to get some but not too much near the seam. Then comes the 
tricky part -- picking the ivory up by the edges (make SURE that you have 
no white glue on your fingers!), placing the back edge firmly against the 
end of the tail, and pressing it down, making sure that the edges are lined 
up right. Be aware that the CA will react with the plastic of the front, so 
if a drop gets onto the front, wick it gently away with the corner of a 
paper towel, but don't rub it. By the way, CA glue will also totally wreck 
the surface of a formica countertop -- don't ask how I know --

The glue should set up in seconds, so you have very little leeway to fit it 
on right. For a very short time, if it's wrong you can still pull the ivory 
off, but it's kind of a mess trying to clean it again and start over.

Be sure you have acetone with you (I keep nail polish remover in a ziploc 
bag in a picnic cooler in the car.) It's hard to keep all the CA off your 
fingers, and it's very easy to leave a good gluey fingerprint on the ivory. 
CA will take this right off, and not hurt the ivory -- but it will ruin the 
keyfront if any wanders onto it.

Enjoy, enjoy -- I hope.

Susan



At 01:46 PM 10/17/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>List,
>
>There have been several threads over the last couple of years about a 
>technique (Susan Kline's?) for re-attaching ivory keytops using "white 
>glue" on the keystick and thin CA on the ivory.   Also used for other 
>repairs requiring gap filling quick setting adhesive.  Several listees 
>have endorsed this method.  I would try it too, except I don't know which 
>"white glue" to use.  Is the "white glue" you all are using Elmer's?
>
>thanks,
>
>Mike Spalding RPT
>
>_______________________________________________
>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives