<!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 5.50.4807.2300" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Hi Jon & = Greg:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    There is a good = reason for the thicker keytops we commonly see for replacement.  Key that have = been used awhile after the original ivory has come off develop a dish or = depression where the finger plays the key.  This has to be removed to create a = smooth base for the new material.  Problems would arise if the new keytop were = applied directly over an uneven surface.  There are other reasons = also:  warped and uneven keys that need truing to make a good, even key level = along with a consistent key dip being one of them.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    In answer to your = second question, there is such a variety of key widths in pianos, that = supplying a product that will work on most all keys results in a wider than usually = needed keytop.  Yes, it is a pain to remove a lot of material from the = sides, but no manufacturer would make 6 different widths to accomodate the = different keys.  If you are in Chicago next week, I'll be showing 4 different = methods of trimming keytops at my technical.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    BTW, the commonly = used keytops that Schaff and Apsco sell are made in our town of Auburn, NY by Currier = Plastics, a local company.  I attempted to buy direct from them, = but was told it was not possible as they were restricted to producing keytops = for the owner of the molds ONLY!  Who was the owner?  Schaff Piano = Supply Co.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    See you in = Chicago!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Mike Kurta, = RPT</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    </FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=Tunapiana440@cox.net = href="mailto:Tunapiana440@cox.net">Greg</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, June 19, 2002 = 6:13 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Molded = Keytops</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If one were to use a water based = adhesive instead of a solvent-based one then that wopuldn't be a problem...I have = used a latex based adhesive (Liquid Nails, white stuff in a squeeze tube) in = the past that worked very well although it was much slower setting than = acetone/keytop solution....</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Now, this brings to mind another = keytop question...</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Has someone come up with a = molded keytop (or can someone please do so?) that is slightly smaller in = width at both the head and even smaller at the tail? I believe this idea would be better than always having to trim off SO MUCH </FONT><FONT face=Arial = size=2>excess plastic...</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I realize that key sizes vary = somewhat and that they are not always uniform in size, but a better key = covering job could be more easily obtained simply by shrinking the = dimensions of the keytop slightly, especially for those who do not have a keytop = trimming jig or machine....</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>FWIW, I am speaking primarily of the = Schaff/Apsco keytops commonly used... </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Anybody?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Best,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Greg</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=jonpage@attbi.com href="mailto:jonpage@attbi.com">Jon = Page</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, June 13, 2002 = 7:05 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Molded = Keytops</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><BR>The plastic would be rather thin and the grain in = the wood or the joint for the front rail plug<BR>would figure the = surface.  I'm sure you've seen an older set of plastic keytops which have<BR>'shrunken" into the keystick surface.<BR><BR> <DIV>Regards,</DIV><BR> <DIV>Jon Page,   piano technician</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>At 07:41 AM 6/13/2002 -0400, you wrote:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE type="cite" cite=""><FONT face=arial size=2>Why = don't they make replacement molded keytops the same thickness as ivory or = ivorine so we don't have to plane the keys?</FONT><BR> <BR><FONT = face=arial size=2>Philip Jamison</FONT><BR><FONT face=arial size=2>West = Chester, = PA</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>