stiffening keys

[Michael Magness]

On 8/29/07, Joe And Penny Goss <imatunr at srvinet.com> wrote:
>
>  Thin CA
> Joe Goss RPT
> Mother Goose Tools
> imatunr at srvinet.com
> www.mothergoosetools.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* A440A at aol.com
> *To:* pianotech at ptg.org
> *Sent:* Wednesday, August 29, 2007 8:22 AM
> *Subject:* stiffening keys
>
>
> Greetings,
>    I have been wondering what to do with a mid-sixties Steinway.  It has
> the Pratt-Read keys and they are sorta limber. I think this is due to the
> poor wood, and lack of large plates.
> so,  since there is no budget for rebuilding the keys with new buttons and
> larger plates top and bottom,  I have been wondering whether there is any
> stiffening to be gained by simply painting the sides of the keys with West
> System epoxy.  It seems that it would gain something by soaking into the
> wood.  I even thought about laying some strands of carbon fibers along the
> middle length and painting the epoxy over them,(I have seen this done on
> motorcycle fairing repairs, and was amazed at the strength it imparted).
>    Anybody tried this?
> thanks,
>
>
>
> Ed Foote RPT
>
>
>
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>
Hi, Just some FYI for you we had a guy come and talk to our chapter that
worked for Pratt-Read 14 years, eventually as a plant manager until they
closed. He had some interesting info. They bought all of their lumber green
and kiln dried it to a 4% moisture content about 4 million board feet of
spruce and 6 Million of maple a year! Steinway himself(Theodore?) used to
come by periodically to see them making his keyboards.

Regarding what you are doing, let's not forget a piano key is spruce for a
reason, so that it will have SOME flex when played. If the keys feel too
flexible, perhaps something a little less drastic than epoxy or CA would do
the job. Say a wash of diluted hide glue over 1/2 or 2/3 of the key length,
brushed on. This would fill the cell structure of the wood adding some
ridgity but still allow the flex originally intended. The keys may swell
slightly but it should be negligable.


-- 
Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
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