<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; =
charset=us-ascii">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1141" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff =
size=2>Some comments
(won't answer all questions):</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>1. =
Contact cement
will eat holes in the plastic if it gets on the playing surface and =
isn't
IMMEDIATELY wiped off. Getting the alignment thing right is not as scare =
as it
sounds. Keeping the keytops clean is as scary as I've tried to make it =
sound,
here. I had to redo about 20 keys, my first time, because I thought -- =
aint'
ignorance grand -- I could just clean them up by rolling the glue off =
like
rubber cement on paper (Hey, it LOOKS like rubber cement!) If there is a =
better
glue, I want to hear about it. Some have recommended thick CA with a =
white glue
"kicker" (see archives). Haven't tried it; seems like it would make the
alignment thing really scary.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>2. =
If the old
tops come off without taking a lot of wood, a little light, light =
sanding will
prepare old keys for gluing on plastic covers. Use WET rag and hot =
iron to
soften the old glue. With luck the old tops will peal right off. If they =
are
true ivories, BTW, "pop" them off (after steaming, if necessary) and =
save the
best ones--or send them to me!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>3. =
If the fronts
will come off--I have had good luck with a beveled scraper like the Red =
Devil
5-in-one painter's tool and using a hammer to tap the bevel between the =
head and
the keystick--then replace with a top & front single top =
(Schaff 1391
or 1391 are fine). If the fronts are stubborn and/or are in good shape, =
you can
just use tops w/o fronts but match the color as best you =
can--Vagias has
great selection (Ventures, Inc. 724-869-2842). Match original thickness =
to avoid
problems.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>4. =
First time,
plan on several evenings at your workbench ...</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff =
size=2>Have
fun.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff =
size=2>Alan
Barnard</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=811501001-13022003><FONT color=#0000ff =
size=2>Salem,
MO</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT =
face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> =
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org
[mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Mickey
Kessler<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, February 12, 2003 7:09 =
PM<BR><B>To:</B>
pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> (no =
subject)<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT
size=3>Hi all,<BR><BR>I'm considering replacing all the keytops on a =
PSO owned
by my cousin. If this were a really good instrument I'd probably =
just
send the keys out to a recovering house (actually, I'd turn the whole =
thing
over to somebody who's really into rebuilding, which I'm not), but =
it's a
piece of junk -- or rather, an opportunity for learning -- so I want =
to do it
for the experience.<BR><BR>A few questions:<BR><BR>1. Reblitz =
describes
a procedure that's based on using contact cement. This scares =
me; it
doesn't allow for much error. On the other hand, if I use more =
forgiving
glue, it'll require clamping, which the Reblitz procedure seems to =
preclude
(he says to shim a straightedge to the keyslip in order to line up all =
the
keyfronts exactly the same). Can anybody recommend a better =
procedure
that will also ensure uniformity? And while we're on the =
subject, what's
the best glue to use?<BR><BR>2. The supply houses sell a variety =
of
keytops. Any preferences regarding one-piece tops and fronts as =
opposed
to two-piece? I'm thinking now that I'll use the =
one-piece. Am I
asking for trouble? Would I learn more by using two-piece? =
Should I get
thick or thin or doesn't it matter? Do the one-piece tops =
require
clamping in two directions?<BR><BR>3. Do I need to figure on =
resurfacing
all the wood? Can I do that without the expensive Oslund =
machines that
Reblitz describes? How bad must the surface be before it should =
be
resurfaced? I'm guessing the thick plastic tops will take up a =
lot of
unevenness -- am I wrong?<BR><BR>4. Any thoughts about how much =
time I
should allot for the job?<BR><BR>Thanks to everybody out there for =
sharing all
your knowledge. I've learned more from this group than from just =
about
any other source. The generosity of this profession is truly
admirable.<BR><BR>Mickey Kessler<BR>PTG
Assoc.<BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>