At 02:51 -0500 13/12/09, Paul Milesi wrote: >...With replacement keytops mentioned above, will I be able to make >this action work after installing all new frame felts and new S&S >hammers, shanks, flanges, wippens, let-off regulating buttons? >ÊShould I expect the worst, or might tolerances be wide enough that >I can put a proper regulation on it? ÊAre we ever lucky enough that >when keytops have been replaced without routing keystick, the action >still works? It's many years since I used ready-made key-coverings, which I think are quite a bit thicker than the 1/16"/1.6mm tops you mention, but I never reduced the wood underneath. If you do that and someone later wants to recover the keys in something nicer then they have a big problem. You, also, have as great a problem if you don't do the job to extremely fine tolerances. What I used to do is remove the 36 sharps (a sharp tap with a hammer with the key held in the vice usually works), shim up the ebony with veneer and glue them back on with animal glue. Even this is just cosmetic, to end up with the key woods all level. For a cheap job just thicker balance washers for the sharps will do the job. If the white tails foul the fall when the keys are at the proper level, then plane down the fall 1-2 mm. That way the whole job is easily reversible if anyone in future wants to redo it. The only difference it will make to the regulation is that the very slight extra weight of the replacements will very slightly lighten the touch. There's no reason why the modifications would make a scrap of difference to the regulation. JD
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