Hi Gary, Personally I'd pursue all other avenues before compromising a minimal design found on the back of those keys.
If your purpose is to make removal and reinstallation easier try not to make more work for yourself in the process. If your idea doesn't work, you own the problem. The factory may have considered this idea and found it to be the wrong thing to do. After all, it would save production costs by putting the slot in there .... but they didn't do it that way.
I made a leather nut tool out of a worn out hex receiver for quick change bits. I filled it with Epoxy and put two sharpened pieces of piano wire in the glue as it set. The two prongs jabbed the nut enough to facilitate faster removal using a power tool.
Removing and adjusting those danged wooden dowels are hard on a person's fingers especially after doing a complete set. As I understand it, the piano is in your shop so breaking up the work into 15 minute segments (giving my fingers and hands a chance to rest) is probably what I would do.
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Larry Fisher
Owner, Chief Grunt, Head Hosehead
Vancouver WA
503-310-6965
Working the gravy zone for the rest of my days.
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-27-2020 16:05
From: Margaret Jusiel
Subject: Spinet question
Can't think of one reason to not, except that I would do it. 🤣 😂 😁 😜
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Maggie Jusiel
Athens, WV
(304)952-8615
mags@timandmaggie.net
Original Message:
Sent: 03-27-2020 12:49
From: Gary Bruce
Subject: Spinet question
Can anyone give me a good reason why I shouldn't cut a notch in the tail of these keys so that the key can be removed without having to unscrew the leather nut and dowel? Don't bother with the "just throw it away" comments. I'm fixing this one.
Gary Bruce
Registered Piano Technician