twisting front rail key pins

[Amy Zilk]

How do you untwist them?  I just rebushed a set of keys and some of the 
pins had been twisted.  I wasn't able to untwist any of them.  I didn't 
have any tools that didn't slip.  Do you know of any tools that work for 
this?  For that matter, what tool did you use to twist them? 

Thanks in advance,
az



Porritt, David wrote:
>
> You're not missing anything.  That's the reason the front rail pins 
> are oblong and now round.  Replacing the bushings is a better solution 
> but in a pinch I've turned quite a few!
>
>  
>
> dp
>
>  
>
> David M. Porritt
>
> dporritt at smu.edu <mailto:dporritt at smu.edu>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] 
> *On Behalf Of *Tom Sivak
> *Sent:* Thursday, June 22, 2006 10:31 AM
> *To:* pianotech
> *Subject:* twisting front rail key pins
>
>  
>
> List
>
>  
> I've always been told, "Don't twist the front key pins to eliminate 
> side motion on keys that have the key bushings worn out."  And I've 
> always accepted that.
>
>  
>
> Last week I was at a composer/friend's house.  He has a 1930s Kimball 
> grand, really worn out.  I did a full regulation on the piano, and he 
> didn't want to pay for new key bushings, so I twisted them, and the 
> difference is wonderful.  No side play on the keys, feels like a 
> million bucks.
>
>  
>
> Now I understand it would be unethical to do that to a piano and then 
> sell it, hiding a problem, but what's wrong with improving the play of 
> a piano by doing the same?  Sure, it may accelerate wear on the 
> bushings, but the bushings are worn out now!  They need replacing 
> already.  All this does is extend the deadline and make the piano play 
> much better until D Day comes.
>
>  
>
> Am I missing something?  What's the down side to this?
>
> Tom Sivak
>
> Chicago
>
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