Well you've all sold me on it. After David's reply I'm interested to know if he will sell the system without all of the pilot tools. Which specific ones do you think are necessary?
--- On Fri, 12/19/08, David Love <davidlovepianos at comcast.net> wrote:
From: David Love <davidlovepianos at comcast.net>
Subject: RE: [pianotech] Onesti Balance hole repair system
To: tunerryan at yahoo.com, pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Friday, December 19, 2008, 7:21 PM
Yes. It works well and I have used it successfully several
times but there are some things to consider. When the job is done you
want to be sure that the front of the keys are indexed to each other so that they
all perfectly aligned without any creeping forward (or back). Since
pulley keys by definition have an elongated balance rail hole, finding exactly
where the indexed center of that hole is can be tricky. Rather than using
all the different sized pilot tools to measure the size of the hole for each
individual key I think it is preferable to glue a balance rail punching to the
bottom of the key and then set the keys on the key frame and make sure they are
perfectly aligned while the glue dries. Then when you remove the key you
will only need a single pilot to locate the center of the glued on punching..
The seating tool (the cutter that cuts the hole in the bottom of the key to
receive the insert) will easily remove the punching from the bottom of the key
in the process of cutting.
On the last job I did the felt punchings were in very good shape
and tight to the balance rail pin and if you use a card or paper punching it
must be snug to the balance rail pin with no play. Since my intention was
to replace the felt punching anyway, I simply took each key off, put a spot
of glue around the hole and set the key back on the punching carefully aligning
the fronts of the keys as I went down the row. After a couple of minutes
I lifted each key up with the punching now a attached to the bottom of the key
which I used as a guide for the pilot tool. I simply chose a pilot tool
that was easily centered over the hole in the punching. This method is, I
believe faster than indexing each key with a pilot tool and it has the benefit of
allowing you to index the front of the keys at the same time. The question
then arises whether or not you need all 20 pilot tools. I’ll let
each person answer that for themselves.
Other than that, a laminate flush trim router bit for the sides
of the key and a sharp chisel (is there any other kind) to level the insert to
the bottom of the key and you’re in business. A cross vise is
nice, otherwise you need something to brace the key against while cutting.
David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
[mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ryan Sowers
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 5:03 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] Onesti Balance hole repair system
I'm considering paying the $555 for Onesti's balance hole
repair system but would like to talk to someone who has had some experience
with it. When I looked into this a while back it seemed like the best method.
Anyone tried it?
Thanks!
-Ryan Sowers, RPT
Puget Sound Chapter
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