We've been running a test on glues for key pin bushings, as hide is a pain in the geshputz. Yeah...yeah...we've used hide for years, but decided to run some tests as we contemplate a move away from hide. So, we ran a whole series of mortises on a piece of pine. Glued felt, with cauls, as per the usual technique, in the entire series of mortises, with Titebond Original. The test was to see what removal was like after a few months and years. We will test occasionally for the next few years, as there are plenty of test mortises on the board. This test was 4 months out from when we glued the felt in.
Removal ease was excellent. A heated caul in the soldering iron, as usual, and the glue releases without leaving any goobers like, frankly, hide glue does. Left a clean mortise, and heat alone was sufficient, no water necessary.
We also tried Roo Glue melamine glue, which we use on other felts since PVCE was discontinued. This glue is on another board of mortises. It releases at 140 deg. However, we did not like this one, as it left goobers, which are a pain to clean up, kind of like rubber cement goobers.
So, Titebond gets the poo-poo usually from techs in bushed key mortises. I'm seeing evidence which looks really nice to me. Not sure why the poo-poo, other than the usual reason, ie, because "that's the way its supposed to be". Has anyone out there actually experimented themselves with Titebond for this purpose? Over the long term?
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Jim Ialeggio
grandpianosolutions.com
Shirley, MA
978 425-9026
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