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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Shawn, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have great success with using a Milwaukee heat
gun. I'll do about 5 or 6 at one time by waving the heat gun over the tops and
fronts until the surface is quite warm and then I slide a thin blade knife under
the tail end and slowly work it off the keystick making sure that I'm not
removing any wood also depending on what kind of glue was previously used. Works
great for me and I'm done in about 30 minutes. Like you, I usually send-em out
for recovering but once in a while I'll do a set. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>David C. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=shawnbrock@fuse.net href="mailto:shawnbrock@fuse.net">Shawn Brock</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, June 21, 2008 9:17
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Removing old keytops</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>List,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have a Kawai U S T 5 which was given to
me. Problems include, broken sustain peddle, finish damage and chipped
keytops. This is a piano that I will probably turn in to a
rental... So the object here is to make more money than you
spend... Given this fact, I am going to replace the keytops
myself. These are one peace top and front. Anyone want to share
ideas for removing them? I can easily get them off from the back, it
almost looks like they are not glued down in the back. Taking this
approach though causes them to snap in the middle. I usually farm out my
keytop business but this just seems to not be worth it... So, back to
the subject at hand... Should I heat them? Or is it better to just
chip away at them. The ones I have removed seem to come off easily, but
I wonder if a little heat will make it easier still! Question 2:
Do you think I should go with the one peace tops and fronts? I will say,
that I hate the one peace top and front but... Its what was on the
piano. Oh, and yes I'm sure the same thing will happen at some
point. They will chip or start to come off, but this is not a piano
that's mint to last a lifetime. I have a feeling they would have lasted
longer, but it looks like the piano might have been abused heavily.
Regards</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Shawn Brock,
RPT</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>