<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=windows-1250"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2523" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><SPAN class=343130905-23012005><FONT face=Arial>Wow, impressive = diagnostics. I'm not sure I'd have spotted the = "illness."</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=343130905-23012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=343130905-23012005><FONT face=Arial>I wonder, also, = who cared enough to take the time (or pay the fee) to regulate a beastie little = spinet. Seems like a tech who could identify a reason to change the geometry = would also know enough to make it ALL work. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=343130905-23012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=343130905-23012005><FONT face=Arial>I've seen = uprights where the blow was shortened with punchings or felt as a quick "cure" for = jack-to-butt problems, or at least I assume that was what they were after. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=343130905-23012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=343130905-23012005><FONT face=Arial>If I were going = to mess with center rail height, I think I'd experiement with adding center rail = punchings to a few keys and test-regulating from there, then use that = height to lift the rail uniformly. Would that be good = procedure?</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=343130905-23012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=343130905-23012005><FONT face=Arial>Do some come = from the factory so poorly designed that they need reengineering, or was this = piano just not up to intended reg specks to begin with; that would be my question.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan R. = Barnard</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN = class=343130905-23012005>In the Spinet Zone in </SPAN>Salem, MO</FONT></FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us 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>Gps Graham<BR><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, January 22, 2005 10:11 PM<BR><B>To:</B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Broken Keys = Repair and PREVENTION<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><PRE>Doug asked why keys break at the balance rail. = </PRE><PRE>Hard playing on a weak key is only a partial answer. = </PRE><PRE>Last month I was called to repair a cheapie spinet with seven = </PRE><PRE>broken keys. The piano had been repaired in the past by = someone else </PRE><PRE>with thick CA glue on the sides, and thin CA = soaked into the wood,</PRE><PRE>but the keys simply failed again next to = the glue joint. The </PRE><PRE>keys were cut across the grain, and = there was simply not enough </PRE><PRE>strength to do the job, which is = problem number one.</PRE><PRE> </PRE><PRE>The real problem in this = case, though, was that a prior tech had </PRE><PRE>shimmed up the = balance rail to improve the regulation (more dip,</PRE><PRE>more = aftertouch, less hammer burbling), but went way too far. </PRE><PRE>I = found three thick front rail card punchings and a few business = </PRE><PRE>cards under the balance rail. The action was going through = </PRE><PRE>escapement, the jack was ! jamming, and the key stopped moving before</PRE><PRE>it ever got near the front = rail punchings. The action had a very </PRE><PRE>strange feel, and the = stress on the key was much more than it should</PRE><PRE>have had to = take, even if it was a good quality key (which it wasn't). = </PRE><PRE> </PRE><PRE>In addition to repairing the broken and = soon-to-break keys with veneer,</PRE><PRE>I also lowered the balance = rail to where it belonged, treating the </PRE><PRE>illness, not just the = symptom. Check your keydip and = aftertouch.</PRE><PRE> </PRE><PRE>Another tip: I tack glued the = keys back together (in my shop) </PRE><PRE>to get them aligned = correctly, then sanded the sides near the break</PRE><PRE>with a random = orbit sander to get off the old CA glue, smooth the </PRE><PRE>sides for = good glue prep, and thin the key >slightly<. I glued = </PRE><PRE>the veneer splints on each side with Titebond, then used my = soldering</PRE><PRE>iron with hammer pressing tip to iron on the ! veneer. Very nice results.</PRE><PRE>I used the sander again to taper off the = ends of the veneer, which was</PRE><PRE>slightly concave from the first = sanding. Fit was great, with just </PRE><PRE>a little sanding by hand = on one key in the customer's home.</PRE><PRE> </PRE><PRE>The "rule = of 6" strikes again. If one key breaks, well... it happens. = </PRE><PRE>If 6 or more break, something is causing it. = </PRE><PRE> </PRE><PRE>Greg Graham</PRE><PRE>Graham Piano = Service</PRE><PRE>Brodheadsville, PA</PRE></DIV> <P> <HR SIZE=1> Do you Yahoo!?<BR>Yahoo! Search presents - <A = href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=30648/*http://movies.yahoo.com/movie= s/feature/jibjabinaugural.html">Jib Jab's 'Second Term'</A><BR> <P><FONT size=2>--<BR>No virus found in this incoming = message.<BR>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.<BR>Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.7.2 - = Release Date: 01/21/2005<BR></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML> <BR> <P><FONT SIZE=2>--<BR> No virus found in this outgoing message.<BR> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.<BR> Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.7.2 - Release Date: = 01/21/2005<BR> </FONT> </P>