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MMD > Archives > April 2001 > 2001.04.05 > 08Prev  Next


Repairing Loose Key Pins
By John A. Tuttle

I can identify with Benjamin Haass's problem with regards to installing
new key pins in a unit that had very rusty key pins.  I had a similar
problem when I rebuilt an old Kohler & Campbell 'Tom Thumb' upright
that had been stored in a boiler room for 15 years.  Ouch!

The center rail pins can be glued into place using epoxy.  No problem
there because those pins never need to be rotated.  And having them
securely in place makes bending the pins as required quite easy.

The real problem is the front rail pins.  They must be able to be
rotated so you can adjust the side-play of the key to an optimum
setting.  After running a quick experiment, I found that you can use
epoxy to cement the pins into place, but you have to put mold release
on the pins prior to cementing them in place.  This allows the epoxy
to harden, but still allows the pins to be rotated.

Naturally, if you have the equipment to do so, the best thing to do is
to make a new front rail.  However, the holes for the front rail pins
have to be in exactly the same location as the original pins, and that
would be quite a challenge even for an experienced craftsman: 88 pins,
all within less than 0.001" of where they were originally?

Musically,

John A. Tuttle


(Message sent Thu 5 Apr 2001, 22:45:34 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Key, Loose, Pins, Repairing

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