Pianotech

Chisel

File(s)

Small clothing iron

Keytop Glue (not contact cement), PVC-e, Eileen's Tacky Glue

Rags

Keytop replacement(s)

White-out/paint

Chisel off the remaining keytop.  If necessary, you can place a damp rag over the keytop and heat with an iron.  This will usually soften the glue.  Chisel off any remaining glue on the keystick.  If you're replacing ivory, paint the keystick with white/out, then put glue on top of it.  Ivories are translucent, so you want white color underneath.  It will be challenging to match the color of white that the piano has.  On older pianos, you can get off-white color keytops.  There are imitation ivories that look like the real thing.  Spread glue on the keytop and put into place, centering it.  You'll use a file to remove the excess overhang on the sides.  Also, there are short and long fronts on keys, so be sure the keytops you're replacing with match the size of the originals.  When you install the new ones, you'll most likely have to file the keytop so they match the notch in the keystick.  Wait for the glue to dry before doing any filing.  You can sand/scrape/buff the edges of the keytops so they're slightly rounded.  Be sure to match the lip overhang when you glue the keytops on.  Using any of the Sobo-type glues won't require any clamping, just press them down and let them dry.  On your job, you'll need keytops that don't have fronts molded on.  You can get keytops with or without fronts.  You "can" use with fronts if you want, but you'll have to shim out the keyslip so they don't bind there.  If you're doing ivories, and an entire set, you'll have to shave down the keysticks because the plastic replacements are thicker than the ivories.  That's a whole 'nuther ball o'wax.

Good fun, have luck.

Well, we all come upon "firsts" even if we've been in the industry for some years...so forgive me, but

Hello Paul,

Do you know where one can get the key tops that look like Ivory?  I had a set from many years ago and I cannot remember where I got them.  I didn't see them on the  Schaff or Pianotek websites.

Thanks

Patrick

Chisel

File(s)

Small clothing iron

Keytop Glue (not contact cement), PVC-e, Eileen's Tacky Glue

Rags

Keytop replacement(s)

White-out/paint

Chisel off the remaining keytop.  If necessary, you can place a damp rag over the keytop and heat with an iron.  This will usually soften the glue.  Chisel off any remaining glue on the keystick.  If you're replacing ivory, paint the keystick with white/out, then put glue on top of it.  Ivories are translucent, so you want white color underneath.  It will be challenging to match the color of white that the piano has.  On older pianos, you can get off-white color keytops.  There are imitation ivories that look like the real thing.  Spread glue on the keytop and put into place, centering it.  You'll use a file to remove the excess overhang on the sides.  Also, there are short and long fronts on keys, so be sure the keytops you're replacing with match the size of the originals.  When you install the new ones, you'll most likely have to file the keytop so they match the notch in the keystick.  Wait for the glue to dry before doing any filing.  You can sand/scrape/buff the edges of the keytops so they're slightly rounded.  Be sure to match the lip overhang when you glue the keytops on.  Using any of the Sobo-type glues won't require any clamping, just press them down and let them dry.  On your job, you'll need keytops that don't have fronts molded on.  You can get keytops with or without fronts.  You "can" use with fronts if you want, but you'll have to shim out the keyslip so they don't bind there.  If you're doing ivories, and an entire set, you'll have to shave down the keysticks because the plastic replacements are thicker than the ivories.  That's a whole 'nuther ball o'wax.

Good fun, have luck.

Well, we all come upon "firsts" even if we've been in the industry for some years...so forgive me, but

Hello Paul,

Do you know where one can get the key tops that look like Ivory?  I had a set from many years ago and I cannot remember where I got them.  I didn't see them on the  Schaff or Pianotek websites.

Thanks

Patrick

Chisel

File(s)

Small clothing iron

Keytop Glue (not contact cement), PVC-e, Eileen's Tacky Glue

Rags

Keytop replacement(s)

White-out/paint

Chisel off the remaining keytop.  If necessary, you can place a damp rag over the keytop and heat with an iron.  This will usually soften the glue.  Chisel off any remaining glue on the keystick.  If you're replacing ivory, paint the keystick with white/out, then put glue on top of it.  Ivories are translucent, so you want white color underneath.  It will be challenging to match the color of white that the piano has.  On older pianos, you can get off-white color keytops.  There are imitation ivories that look like the real thing.  Spread glue on the keytop and put into place, centering it.  You'll use a file to remove the excess overhang on the sides.  Also, there are short and long fronts on keys, so be sure the keytops you're replacing with match the size of the originals.  When you install the new ones, you'll most likely have to file the keytop so they match the notch in the keystick.  Wait for the glue to dry before doing any filing.  You can sand/scrape/buff the edges of the keytops so they're slightly rounded.  Be sure to match the lip overhang when you glue the keytops on.  Using any of the Sobo-type glues won't require any clamping, just press them down and let them dry.  On your job, you'll need keytops that don't have fronts molded on.  You can get keytops with or without fronts.  You "can" use with fronts if you want, but you'll have to shim out the keyslip so they don't bind there.  If you're doing ivories, and an entire set, you'll have to shave down the keysticks because the plastic replacements are thicker than the ivories.  That's a whole 'nuther ball o'wax.

Good fun, have luck.

Well, we all come upon "firsts" even if we've been in the industry for some years...so forgive me, but

Hello Paul,

Do you know where one can get the key tops that look like Ivory?  I had a set from many years ago and I cannot remember where I got them.  I didn't see them on the  Schaff or Pianotek websites.

Thanks

Patrick

------------------------------
Patrick Greene
OWNER
Knoxville TN
(865) 384-6582

Original Message:
Sent: 01-02-2024 20:37
From: Paul McCloud
Subject: Keytop Install (one note)

Chisel

File(s)

Small clothing iron

Keytop Glue (not contact cement), PVC-e, Eileen's Tacky Glue

Rags

Keytop replacement(s)

White-out/paint

Chisel off the remaining keytop.  If necessary, you can place a damp rag over the keytop and heat with an iron.  This will usually soften the glue.  Chisel off any remaining glue on the keystick.  If you're replacing ivory, paint the keystick with white/out, then put glue on top of it.  Ivories are translucent, so you want white color underneath.  It will be challenging to match the color of white that the piano has.  On older pianos, you can get off-white color keytops.  There are imitation ivories that look like the real thing.  Spread glue on the keytop and put into place, centering it.  You'll use a file to remove the excess overhang on the sides.  Also, there are short and long fronts on keys, so be sure the keytops you're replacing with match the size of the originals.  When you install the new ones, you'll most likely have to file the keytop so they match the notch in the keystick.  Wait for the glue to dry before doing any filing.  You can sand/scrape/buff the edges of the keytops so they're slightly rounded.  Be sure to match the lip overhang when you glue the keytops on.  Using any of the Sobo-type glues won't require any clamping, just press them down and let them dry.  On your job, you'll need keytops that don't have fronts molded on.  You can get keytops with or without fronts.  You "can" use with fronts if you want, but you'll have to shim out the keyslip so they don't bind there.  If you're doing ivories, and an entire set, you'll have to shave down the keysticks because the plastic replacements are thicker than the ivories.  That's a whole 'nuther ball o'wax.

Good fun, have luck.

------------------------------
Paul McCloud, RPT
Accutone Piano Service
www.AccutonePianoService.com
pavadasa@gmail.com

Original Message:
Sent: 01-02-2024 19:57
From: Cobrun Sells
Subject: Keytop Install (one note)

Well, we all come upon "firsts" even if we've been in the industry for some years...so forgive me, but

------------------------------
Cobrun Sells
cobrun94@yahoo.com
------------------------------