[pianotech] Key Bushing Job

[Ryan Sowers]

---- Original Message -----
> From: "Steven Hopp" <hoppsmusic at hotmail.com>
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Sent: Friday, April 3, 2009 11:46:05 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
> Subject: [pianotech] Key Bushing Job
>
> Hello,
>
> Just left a customers piano that would benefit from new key bushings.
> However, on the way to lunch I thought the ones i looked at did not appear
> to be overly worn yet they are loose and make some side to side noise.  My
> question is:  is there anyway to swell the bushing and use an appropriate
> sized caul instead of completely rebushing the entire set?  Just wondering
> out loud so please don't beat me up. :)
>
> Also the front rail bushings have black lines where the key rides on the
> pin.  What is the black stuff?
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Steven J. Hopp
> PianoWorks Studio
> Midland TX.
>
>
I've had some success with 50/50 water/denatured alcohol with a tiny bit of
Ballistol in it. This was on a fairly new piano so the felt was in pretty
good shape. I use the double shoulder cauls from Bill Spurlock. It allows
you to give a tap with a hammer and compress the wood while compressing the
felt into the mortise at the same time. I'm not sure that anything special
is in the Profelt.

Steve Brady also taught me a trick: If the felt is in pretty good shape you
can stick a single voicing needle in the felt right where the mark from the
pin is. This can actually snug things up quite well and it seems to last
quite a while.

-- 
Ryan Sowers, RPT
Puget Sound Chapter
Olympia, WA
www.pianova.net
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