[pianotech] CA Glue and Ivory

[Joseph Garrett]

I'd like to pass on some info.
 I just spent an exhorbitant amount of time removing a hodgepodge set of
ivories, in the preparation to replace with Ivorine, (plastic/pyralin). Why
did it take so long? Because someone decided to "save" the set with CA
Glue. I am a proponent of using CA glue for certain applications. Keys is
not one of those applications! I had seen the set before this "tech" did
the dastardly deed. It was for one of my long time clients.  She was
informed, by me, that the set was bad and she had decided to do them after
the piano was refinished. The piano was sent in to another "tech" to be
refinished. In the process the "tech" convinced my client that he could
"save the Ivories"! Groan! This set was a hodge-podge of mis-replaced
ivories, with glue wafers, (originally & later), contact cement, PVC-E and
then the piece de resistance, .....CA glue. The CA glue penetrated into the
glue wafers and welded them to the wood. (Really efficient stuff) Every
head that had the CA glue was a very big hassle to remove the ivory and
wafer w/o causing major damage to the key stick. Wheee! I'm really having
fun with this process. ...NOT! What should have taken an hour, took about
4-5 hours...with a 24 hour wait in between the Ivory removal and the
sanding of the key sticks to get the wafers off. BTW, this was on about
2/3s of the set. In the past I've used the Safe-T-Planer for this job, but
I've quit that, since I've not been happy with the inconsitency of the keys
coming out Square. O.k., end of rant...er...almost.....Please!!???!!! don't
use CA glue for key tops. I know it's a real quick/easy/way to put them
back on, but you can kiss the recycling of the ivory goodbye and give
someone like me a reason to hate you.<G> Think long term with all repairs.
Please?<G>
Thanks for listening/reading.
Joe


Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain of the Tool Police
Squares R I