<HTML><HTML> List Got a call from a lady who said, 'her key was broken'. Skeptical, I as= ked her about it, and she says that two technicians have tried to fix this k= ey and now it's worse than ever. So, intrigued, I made an appointment to = go look at it. Turns out the key itself did break and the previous technician spliced it ba= ck together with splints on each side. Looked well done. Things is...i= t looks like he ADDED a bit of wood between the two pieces of the key and no= w the key is too long. It sticks out 1/16" past the others in front. I= looked at it from every which angle and it is definitely too long between t= he balance rail pin and the front of the keytop. And there is definitely = a piece of contrasting wood between the two parts of the key. Unbelievabl= y, it looks like he put some wood inbetween, making the key longer. Why? Why would he do this? And when she pointed out to him that it loo= ked terrible, he said he couldn't do anything about it and left. Anyway, here are my two options for remedying this and I'd like to hear pros= , cons, or other alternatives. #1: This key is a pulley key anyway. Even when pushed all the way back, t= hough, it's still 1/16" too long. So...I could drill out the front rim of= the balance rail hole, making the front of the balance rail hole closer to = the front. Then treat it as a pulley key; saw a kerf and insert some vene= er in the back of the hole, effectively moving the balance rail hole forward= 1/16" and therefore moving the front of the key backward. However this will also move the capstan, backcheck and keyend felt back 1/16= ", too. So, my best option, I think is: #2: Get a handsaw, and saw the key in half, somewhere other than where the s= plice is, but in front of the balance rail hole, and then glue the two piece= s back together. If I use a big old lumber saw, I should lose a 1/16" jus= t where the saw ate the wood up. Glue it back together, and it's 1/16"= shorter! I'm not going to get two chances to fix this. This key already has two sp= lices in it (it has broken twice in two different places). It's a dogl= eg key with a notch cut out of it for the glide bolt, so structurally it's t= he weakest key you could imagine. The piano is a THE HAMILTON grand. (= That's what it says, THE HAMILTON.) At this point, it's a matter of pride that I be able to fix this key that tw= o other techs screwed up. And...I told her in addition to my hourly rate,= my fee would include knowing who this other technician was. But only if = I were able to fix the key. If not, she could tell my name to the guy who= did fix it! I guess a third option would be moving the balance rail pin back 1/16", but = that also would move the capstan, etc. back, so I still think the saw is the= best alternative. Any thoughts, advice, flames? Tom Sivak Chicago</HTML>