<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16705" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <DIV>John,</DIV> <DIV>    Good point, however, buttons are still bushed from underneath and this has changed very little in the last 120 years also. It is part of a production method which necessitates the little piece of cloth being there and I believe it is there for that reason alone. It is under the active mortise area and in my opinion serves no purpose. Buttons will probably be made this way until a button maker mortises a solid block of wood, inserts the cloth on both sides with a caul and then slices it like a loaf of bread. I have heard it discussed but no one seems to be doing it yet. I have also yet to see a properly rebushed mortise lose it's bushing when placing the keys back on the pins, but just when I say I haven't seen it..  Sounds like a very interesting plug method you use why don't you post pictures. I have posted a picture of a production style bushing machine so that you can see why the little cloth tabs are there. The machine inserts cloth into both sides of the mortise, a heated caul descends, the glue is activated, then a cutter comes down and trims the cloth, the button material advances and the whole process starts again.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="cid:77829C718BAB412B960BE805F5823EB6@MCO2880" align=baseline border=0></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Blackstone Valley piano<BR>Michael A. Morvan<BR>76 Sutton Street<BR>Uxbridge, Ma 01569<BR>(508) 278-9762<BR><A href="http://www.pianoandorgankeys.com">www.pianoandorgankeys.com</A><BR><A href="http://www.thepianorebuilders.com">www.thepianorebuilders.com</A></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>