Pianotech

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

Alan,

In an effort to declutter, I just designated a couple envelopes of these wafers as trash. I can set them anside and send them to you if you're interested. Let me know 

Daniel

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

What Wim said.  Don't neglect to dry fit it first, especially for level with the tail.  CA glue is fast and easy but doesn't afford the luxury of do-overs.  I never did have any luck using those glue wafers though I tried.  Once you apply them and put on the clamps they are guaranteed to shift around.  No one ever would have used them in the first place if they'd had access to some of the adhesives we now take for granted.  In a pinch, they are good for one thing though, and that is repairing one of those ancient parchment flanges if you can't lay your hands on some proper goatskin.

Alan,

In an effort to declutter, I just designated a couple envelopes of these wafers as trash. I can set them anside and send them to you if you're interested. Let me know 

Daniel

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

Alan,

In an effort to declutter, I just designated a couple envelopes of these wafers as trash. I can set them anside and send them to you if you're interested. Let me know 

Daniel

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

Alan,

In an effort to declutter, I just designated a couple envelopes of these wafers as trash. I can set them anside and send them to you if you're interested. Let me know 

Daniel

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

Alan,

In an effort to declutter, I just designated a couple envelopes of these wafers as trash. I can set them anside and send them to you if you're interested. Let me know 

Daniel

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

Alan,

In an effort to declutter, I just designated a couple envelopes of these wafers as trash. I can set them anside and send them to you if you're interested. Let me know 

Daniel

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

CA glue for me! I've done this many many times over 20 years or so and have had good results. Like anything in piano work, you have to develop the right technique. CA glue can be the best thing ever or a nightmare! 

My technique is to first scape the key clean with a fresh razor blade to make sure to remove any oily residue and get a clean surface. I use the non-sharp edge of the razor blade to clean along the joint. I highly recommend a good headlight and good magnifier glasses. I then like to use the sharp edge of the razor to score some lines in the key to give the glue more surface to attach to. 

Then I repeat on the ivory: I carefully and thoroughly scape the underside clean and use the non-sharp edge to clean the joint. The idea is to keep the joint as pristine as possible. I then put several drops of glue on the wood: This is important! The glue sets up very quickly in the presence of protein so if you put it on the ivory it will harden too quickly. I have not found accelerator necessary. 

Also try to keep the glue away from the joint, as one of the goals is to have the joint be as invisible as possible. 

As other mentioned dry fit it while looking carefully at the joint and sides of keys with your light and magnifier to get a practice run at fitting the ivory. Like others said this is pretty much a one shot deal!

Then I lay the keytop down starting at the joint, putting good positive pressure into the joint while rolling the keytop downward towards the wood surface. This will push glue away from the joint and not towards it. It can give also give you chance to fine tune the fit of the joint: It should be as exact as you can manage, thus the magnifier glasses and light are helpful.

One I get the top laid down, I immediately take my long voicing block and use it to very firmly press down on the keytop. I usually use the corner of it so I can put a lot of pressure on the point of contact and putting my weight on the block rub it back and forth to really mate the surfaces - this helps get the keytop flush with the tail piece. 

The whole procedure takes about 5 minutes and sometimes it's very difficult to tell that the ivory ever detached. 

Another important item: initial and date the keystick. Clients will sometimes accuse your repair of detaching when another one falls off in the future. If you initial and date it, you can point it out to them and they will believe you!

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan

CA glue for me! I've done this many many times over 20 years or so and have had good results. Like anything in piano work, you have to develop the right technique. CA glue can be the best thing ever or a nightmare! 

My technique is to first scape the key clean with a fresh razor blade to make sure to remove any oily residue and get a clean surface. I use the non-sharp edge of the razor blade to clean along the joint. I highly recommend a good headlight and good magnifier glasses. I then like to use the sharp edge of the razor to score some lines in the key to give the glue more surface to attach to. 

Then I repeat on the ivory: I carefully and thoroughly scape the underside clean and use the non-sharp edge to clean the joint. The idea is to keep the joint as pristine as possible. I then put several drops of glue on the wood: This is important! The glue sets up very quickly in the presence of protein so if you put it on the ivory it will harden too quickly. I have not found accelerator necessary. 

Also try to keep the glue away from the joint, as one of the goals is to have the joint be as invisible as possible. 

As other mentioned dry fit it while looking carefully at the joint and sides of keys with your light and magnifier to get a practice run at fitting the ivory. Like others said this is pretty much a one shot deal!

Then I lay the keytop down starting at the joint, putting good positive pressure into the joint while rolling the keytop downward towards the wood surface. This will push glue away from the joint and not towards it. It can give also give you chance to fine tune the fit of the joint: It should be as exact as you can manage, thus the magnifier glasses and light are helpful.

One I get the top laid down, I immediately take my long voicing block and use it to very firmly press down on the keytop. I usually use the corner of it so I can put a lot of pressure on the point of contact and putting my weight on the block rub it back and forth to really mate the surfaces - this helps get the keytop flush with the tail piece. 

The whole procedure takes about 5 minutes and sometimes it's very difficult to tell that the ivory ever detached. 

Another important item: initial and date the keystick. Clients will sometimes accuse your repair of detaching when another one falls off in the future. If you initial and date it, you can point it out to them and they will believe you!

Greetings,

It has been decades since I last reattached a loose ivory keytop. When I last did it, it was with one of those cloth wafers impregnated with adhesive that is activated when wetted, the keytop clamped in place with a heated brass plate.

Wondering if there are any newer, slicker twenty-first century ways of accomplishing this task.

Thanks,

Alan