Pianotech

  • 1.  Quick adhesive for ivories

    Posted 08-28-2013 14:48
    Hello all. Can anyone recommend a fast setting adhesive that works well for re-attaching ivories? Usually when I encounter this problem I take the keys home and clamp them overnight, but this client is 50 miles away and I would like to avoid a second trip if possible. Thanks for any suggestions. 

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    Bruce Trummel
    Piano Tuner
    Aromas CA
    831-726-7006
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  • 2.  RE:Quick adhesive for ivories

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-28-2013 14:57
    Try rubber contact cement.  Not the best of repairs, but can be done quickly.  PVC-E glue sets quickly as well.  Superglue?

    Paul


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    Paul T. Williams RPT
    Piano Technician
    University of Nebraska
    Lincoln, NE 68588-0100
    pwilliams4@unl.edu
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Quick adhesive for ivories

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-28-2013 15:07
    Hi, Bruce: I like to use Jim Coleman's super strength CA glue. You can not find this in your local Orange Box store. He sells this stuff at the conventions and his website: www.colemantools.com. It will glue anything to anything, including nylon and other plastics. Not cheap, but worth every penny when you need it. A kit, with two different viscosities, plastic prep, accelerator and debonding gel, is about $50. I used to use regular gel CA glue, which didn't hold. You can paint the ivory with White-Out, and then put the glue on the keystick. It won't come off unless you try real hard. Just put the ivory down, squeeze it tight and make sure it's where you want it. Spritz with accelerator. Done. Good luck. Paul McCloud Sand iEgo
    Original Message


  • 4.  RE:Quick adhesive for ivories

    Posted 08-28-2013 17:41
    Okay, what I do is this:

    Clean the keytop with a damp shop towel. If it's really dark, sometime I paint it with White Out (correction fluid.)
    Clean the back of the keytop if it's one which someone has stuck back on, temporarily, with airplane glue or
    something. Clean the seam on both pieces with a pocket knife if there is any dirt at all there.

    Barely moisten the keystick with white glue (Elmer's.) Not much.

    Turn the ivory over and put a lot of little dots of water-thin CA glue on it, including some near the corners.

    Press down carefully in exactly the right place, and hold in place for a few seconds. Be careful not to
    wet your fingers with any squeeze out, and keep the CA off the top of the ivory. If you have a big glob
    of CA on the top of the ivory, you can scrub it off with acetone.

    One the ivory is stuck down (it's fast, test the front to be sure it's secure), you can clean the top of
    the ivory with the barely damp shop towel. Don't do it before it's glued on, because the moisture will
    warp the ivory. So will Elmer's, so that's why the Elmer's goes on the keystick instead of the ivory.

    Be sure your hands are free of white glue and dry before handling the wet CA. Don't ask me how I know ...





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    Susan Kline
    Philomath, Oregon

    Original Message