Great looking jig, Greg. Please send photos of the rest of the jigs.<br><br>Dean<div class="gmail_quote"><br><br><br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf<br>
Of Greg Graham<br>
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 12:53 AM<br>
To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a><br>
Subject: Re: trimming new keytops<br>
<br>
<br>
My advice, if you are just doing a few sets of keytops, not dozens:<br>
<br>
File by hand. Use a file with a "safe" edge: no teeth on one edge. Use a<br>
straightedge across the keyboard to line up the notches perfectly. Don't<br>
remove any wood from the sides of the keys. I built a clamping "vice" with<br>
padding per an old Journal article. Don't attempt to do lots of filing<br>
without a good, fast-acting key holder of some kind.<br>
<br>
If you want to speed things up a little, get a small router, a simple router<br>
table, and build the notching jig Bill Spurlock designed.<br>
<br>
For key preparation prior to applying the new tops, I prefer a router<br>
sliding on rails straddling a vice for surfacing the top of the key, and a<br>
sliding table saw jig for trimming the fronts. Very very high quality<br>
results, very fast, and very safe if you build protection into your jigs.<br>
My 10 year old son is allowed to use the surfacing jig.<br>
<br>
I started out building all the jigs Bill Spurlock designed for keytops, but<br>
gradually found better jigs for all but cutting the notch and trimming the<br>
tail to length. Even they are not perfect, but I have not found something<br>
better.<br>
<br>
Two problems I'm hoping to eliminate:<br>
<br>
1. Using the flush trimming router bit with a small, elevated table (to<br>
allow keybutton clearance) I sometimes knock off the corner of the keytop at<br>
the outer edge of the sharp notch by accident. The guide bearing on a flush<br>
trim bit falls into the undercut at the notch. I'm thinking about adding an<br>
overhead bar to prevent this, similar to what I see in photos of the old<br>
Oslund machines. Or, build some type of limiting fence for use with a belt<br>
sander. For now, I'm just using a file to remove all the overhang. Slow,<br>
but great results.<br>
<br>
2. The notching jig cuts some keys with the bit cutting "down" into<br>
supported plastic, and others cutting "up", occasionally chipping the keytop<br>
at the notch. I wish it could cut "down" on all of them. This problem is<br>
worse if I'm working in a cold shop and the plastic is brittle.<br>
<br>
For your information, I don't use the keyfront trimming jig Spurlock<br>
designed. Used to. Had a couple keys end up longer because of some sawdust<br>
preventing the key sitting down on the jig, and others that slipped. I<br>
built a tablesaw jig described by others on this list, and it works better.<br>
Accurate keyfront placement is SUPER important. The notching jig will index<br>
from the key front.<br>
<br>
I also don't use the drill press planer to surface the key. The router jig<br>
on rails works much better (for me). See photo.<br>
<br>
Back issues of the Journal on CD are a goldmine, but this list is even<br>
better. You'll find pictures of all sorts of jigs in the archives.<br>
<br>
Let me know if you need more info on specific jigs.<br>
<br>
Greg Graham, RPT<br>
<br>
</div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Dean<br><br>Dean May cell 812.239.3359 <br>PianoRebuilders.com 812.235.5272 <br>Terre Haute IN 47802<br><br>