[pianotech] Regulation

[pmc033 at earthlink.net]

Hi, Matthew:
	I've been out all day and just returned, so here's the scoop.  The real
cure for this problem is to determine (easy to do) whether the keys were
shaved down a little bit so that the key is the same thickness with the new
keytops as they were with the ivories.  If the key doesn't have any
evidence of being shaved, the keytops were simply glued onto the surface
where the ivories were, and now the key is thicker.  And that is a problem
that isn't going to be easy to take care of.  It means that you will need
to remove the keytops and plane the keys down.  I would suggest sending
them out to a professional key service like Michael Morvan (he posts here
often).  If you simply shim up the balance rail punchings to make the
sharps higher, the action is going to give you more problems than you had
before because the capstans aren't going to be oriented the same as before.
My friend, you are going to have to bite this bullet and get this done. 
You'll have to explain to the owner what has happened, and now you're going
to make it right.  Once the keys are the proper thickness, your sharp keys
will be the correct height in relation to the naturals and you'll be able
to regulate things to make it work.  
	In order to regulate an action properly, you have to start from scratch. 
First thing is you bed the keyframe so that it sits on the keybed flat, and
every keyframe glide contacts the keybed simultaneously.  Then, you fit the
keys and determine the correct height (you already said you had it right). 
And so on.  Even though the keys are at the correct height according to
spec, they are Thicker, and therefore the bottom of the keys is closer to
the punchings.  You will have to shim up the keys after you put new tops on
them so that they sit in the keyframe at the correct height at the top, and
the key dip is correct.  
	Sorry to give you bad news.  If you want to do the keytop job yourself,
you can make more money on the total job.  Check the archives for methods
for planing down the keys for plastic keytops.
	I hope this helps.  Best of Luck
	Paul McCloud


> [Original Message]
> From: <toddpianoworks at att.net>
> To: <pmc033 at earthlink.net>
> Date: 12/02/2009 9:12:18 AM
> Subject: Regulation
>
> Yes, Paul, my client did say that she had the ivories replaced at some
point.
>
> The puzzling thing for me, though, is that the natural heights are
exactly 2.5", which, according to specs, is correct.
>
> But like I said, the sharp heights are 3/8".  So, you are saying if I
increase the sharp height 1/8", I need to adjust the dip 1/8" more?
>
> I will try that, and then regulate those sharp samples.
>
> Thanks for the help!
> Matthew
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>