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<DIV>In a message dated 8/1/2006 12:07:52 PM Pacific Daylight Time, mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>I think the argument is that basswood is too soft and the hole will enlarge <BR>prematurely, and that hard maple can be so hard as to produce noise. So when <BR>I have done this repair I have gone with a medium-hard hardwood - like <BR>poplar or mahogany. Maybe soft maple isn't too hard.</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">W also found the fiber inserts too hard - they develop noise. We use poplar.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT><BR><BR>I used the Spurlock method for this repair with moderate success. I think if <BR>I were a little more resourceful and came up with a better way to lock the <BR>keys fore-and-aft position in, I would have had complete success</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">We clamp the action frame down, then push the vertical face of a piece of aluminum angle back against the keyfronts. The lips of the white keys rest on the top edge of that face. The horizontal face rests on blocks which elevate it to approximate the height of the keys at rest. We push the keys all the way back, then put the aluminum thing very close to them, such that the keys can be pushed slightly forward and all bump the aluminum. </FONT><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">This lines them up, to make up for the sloppy balance rail holes. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Then we take one off one key at a time, put the little marking jig that Bill describes on the balance rail pin, and carefully lower the key back down onto the pin, so that it is positioned by the aluminum lip just before it touches down on the pins of the jig.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Incidentally, the little marking jig I made with a piece of scrap 1/8" metal, with a couple of bridge pin points silver-soldered in. The hole for the balance rail pin wallows after a set or so, but it is no trouble just to peen it back to a nice snug fit.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Bob Davis</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>