Plugging capstan holes

[Isaac OLEG]

Hi Dave, what is Microlite ?

Thanks for your detailed explanations, it is interesting.

Are some epoxy quality more easy to drill and tap than others, or is
it mostly the added powder that helps the final material to be easy to
work with ?

I have bought along the grain dowels from a wood merchant. these are
used to plug knot holes in wooden floors. They are not very round, but
suitable from 8 to 12 mm , in hard woods.

But the epoxy method seem fine indeed.

best regards.

Isaac OLEG


-----Message d'origine-----
De : pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]De la
part de David Love
Envoye : mercredi 19 mai 2004 23:26
A : Pianotech
Objet : RE: Plugging capstan holes


I fill the entire hole with epoxy.  West system and a generaous amount
of
microlite (410).  Put it in a glue syringe and fill them up.  I insert
the
syringe all the way to the bottom and back it out as squeeze to get
the
stuff to the bottom of the hole.  The top usually sags a bit and so
you
need to go over it a couple of times within, usually, about 30
minutes.
Even then the stuff will eventuall sag a bit leaving a slight
indentation.
I've dealt with this two ways and I'm not really sure which I prefer,
but
both work.  First, let them sag to slightly below key level.  After
the
epoxy starts to set up--the slow set stuff will harden quite slowly
but
reaches a point where it will not sag anymore--I mix up another batch
using
both microlite and colloidal silica (406).  Mix it to the consistency
of
whipped butter or mashed potatoes and then take an artists palette
knife
and fill in the small indentation flush to the key top.  When it all
hardens sand smooth with an orbital sander right in the key frame.
You can
block the key ends to hold them more steady.  The other method
involves
adding a bit more of the original batch out of the syringe as it
starts to
thicken so that it sets up higher than the top of the key stick.
Before it
totally hardens trim with a sharp chisel (wax it a bit first to keep
it
from sticking) or a sharp japanese knife.  Clean up with an orbital
sander.


I don't like using dowels to plug the holes because I don't like
drilling
and screwing capstans into the endgrain of a dowel.  You can, as some
do,
cut plugs out of old keys, drill the hole larger to cover the
coutersink,
plug and trim.  I find that it takes too long.  The epoxy holds the
capstan
just fine and, once hardened, drills and taps without any problems.

BTW  make sure that the old capstan holes aren't drilled all the way
through the key.  Yep, I did find that out the hard way.  Thought I'd
entered the Twilight Zone with a capstan hole that just never seemed
to
want to fill up....imagine if you will..

David Love
davidlovepianos@earthlink.net


> [Original Message]
> From: Phillip Ford <fordpiano@earthlink.net>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 5/19/2004 11:39:28 AM
> Subject: Plugging capstan holes
>
> Would anyone care to offer some advice on plugging capstan holes?
They
are often countersunk, so if you glue in a dowel that's level with the
top
of the key there will be a gap or open ring around the dowel.  If you
happen to be drilling near this area it makes the bit wander.  If you
epoxy
in a dowel and fill in the gap with epoxy it's pretty hard to level
them
until the epoxy hardens.  So you essentially have to leave the dowel
sticking out a bit and the epoxy mounded up a bit.  This means a lot
of
sanding or filing after the epoxy hardens.  My current modus operandi
is to
glue in a dowel that's a bit shorter than the hole and punch it in so
that
it's a little below the top of the key.  I then fill in the divot with
epoxy and level with a razor blade before the epoxy sets.  Other
ideas?
Does anyone fill in the entire hole with epoxy?
>
> Phi Ford
>
> _______________________________________________
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