Pianotech

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3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

  • 1.  3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Posted 20 days ago

    Hello everyone, I'm Greg! I am still a humble student of this great craft, but I wish to give something back to the community that has been so helpful in my education.

    I have become more and more familiar with SCAD modeling over the years, and I have started to amass a small collection of tools that have been useful to me and to which I will continue to add. Of course, some of them are no replacement for the real thing, but I have to imagine they may come in handy for workshops and training seminars, perhaps?

    Either way, I hope these models will be of use to some of you out there. I welcome any feedback (or requests?), and I thank you again for being so welcoming to newcomers!



    ------------------------------
    Gregory Miller
    Gainesville FL
    (352) 325-1222
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 19 days ago
    Hi Greg

    FWIW, Dr. Li Yeung, the head piano technician at Florida State University, is also into 3D printing for tools and parts. He will give a class about this at the Southeastern Regional Seminar, next April 8 - 10 in Knoxville, TN. In the meantime, would you be willing to give a presentation on 3D printing to the chapter sometime in the Fall.  Zack Joiner, the president of the Central Florida chapter, will contact you about that. 

    Wim Blees
    Chairman, SERS.






  • 3.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Posted 18 days ago

    Hi, Wim! I would be honored to give a presentation, I'll keep an eye out for a contact from Zack. 

    I have seen Brigham Larson doing some amazing things lately with 3D Scanning and printing, he's really shedding a lot of light on the potential of 3DP in restoration, especially. I have used 3D printing to give new life to old thaler knuckles, also, for those owners who wish to conserve the authenticity of the hammers. Truly a boon to the craft, I think!



    ------------------------------
    Gregory Miller
    Gainesville FL
    (352) 325-1222
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 18 days ago
    Greg

    I know 3D printing can do a lot of good things, but I don't think it's ready to duplicate the real felt used in hammers and real leather used on knuckles.  But I'm open minded enough to consider it.  





  • 5.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Posted 18 days ago

    Oh I agree wholeheartedly: printing won't be able to replicate the properties of many of the materials the piano relies upon. The knuckles I created to fit these old thaler-style shanks were based on the silicone cores that WNG uses, perhaps one of the few areas of high impact where a squishy plastic could come in handy. I still covered them in a soft leather, still needed to consider grain direction, etc. Hide glue takes some convincing though!



    ------------------------------
    Gregory Miller
    Gainesville FL
    (352) 325-1222
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Member
    Posted 15 days ago

    Thanks Gregory. I'm now following you on Thingiverse.

    I have also designed and printed a bunch of piano tools, some of which are on Thingiverse along with some other stuff. My latest project is these lifter rod locks for Baldwin Acrosonic pianos. I'll be trying the prototype on a piano later this week.

    Acrosonic Lifter Rod Lock


    ------------------------------
    John Nasta
    Brooklyn NY
    nastanyc@gmail.com
    (646) 515-7594
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 15 days ago

    Getting an individual piano key made is a tall order. Unless there is a reason that this key cannot be repaired, that would be quicker and less expensive.



    ------------------------------
    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 15 days ago
    That's a nice tool, Greg, but most of us use a damper block for this. 





  • 9.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Member
    Posted 15 days ago

    I made that tool. Sure you can use a damper block but it's an extra step to take it off and put it back.



    ------------------------------
    John Nasta
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 15 days ago

    Orphan damper blocks don't take up that much room and are probably smaller that those printed ones.



    ------------------------------
    Larry Messerly, RPT
    Bringing Harmony to Homes
    www.lacrossepianotuning.com
    ljmesserly@gmail.com
    928-899-7292
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 15 days ago
    You can also use a rubber band





  • 12.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Posted 15 days ago

    John, thanks for the follow! Really an honor -- turns out I have printed a handful of your models in the past year or so, you've got some very useful stuff!

    I'll have some extra things to be adding as I get my library in order, thank you for sharing!



    ------------------------------
    Gregory Miller
    Gainesville FL
    (352) 325-1222
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 15 days ago

    I have long fantasized about most or all of the tools in my tool bag being made of "plastic" (or CF), thus drastically reducing the weight of what I carry around all the time. 

    Of course, the logical response would be: "Just carry what you NEED and leave the rest in the vehicle till it's absolutely necessary..." Of course I'm well aware of that, but "someone" just keeps putting more stuff in there...

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



    ------------------------------
    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
    ------------------------------



  • 14.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Member
    Posted 14 days ago

    Peter, some of us try to use mass transit and it can really be a challenge to decide what to carry or leave behind.

    Gregory, looking forward to seeing more of your designs. There's also a Piano 3D print accessories and parts group on Facebook that sometimes has some interesting things.



    ------------------------------
    John Nasta
    ------------------------------



  • 15.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 14 days ago

    The New Your City Tool Kit" by Dan Levitan from the May 1997 journal.



    ------------------------------
    Larry Messerly, RPT
    Bringing Harmony to Homes
    www.lacrossepianotuning.com
    ljmesserly@gmail.com
    928-899-7292
    ------------------------------



  • 16.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Member
    Posted 14 days ago

    Thanks Larry! I'll be seeing Dan on Monday. I'll have to tell him that I read his article!



    ------------------------------
    John Nasta
    ------------------------------



  • 17.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 14 days ago

    This morning I removed a bunch of things I figured I wouldn't need for a while...before the day was out I needed three of the things I removed 🙃 😅 

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



    ------------------------------
    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
    ------------------------------



  • 18.  RE: 3D Printed Piano Tech tools collection by The Key & Cable Co.

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 14 days ago
    A mentor of mine like to tell about a colleague that worked out of a box truck. Lots of stuff in there, power tools, bench vise, etc. He sometimes didn't have what he needed!