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Anyone tried re-finishing plastic keys?

Building organ consoles for use with Hauptwerk, adding MIDI to existing consoles, obtaining parts, ...
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scottherbert

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Anyone tried re-finishing plastic keys?

PostMon Feb 15, 2016 12:35 pm

I was just curious if anyone out there has tried re-finishing the basic white natural, black sharps plastic keys? Either by painting, staining, whatever. How did it turn out?

~Scott
"Life is just a dream, it is in death that we truly awaken!"
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engrssc

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Re: Anyone tried re-finishing plastic keys?

PostMon Feb 15, 2016 1:19 pm

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profeluisegarcia

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Re: Anyone tried re-finishing plastic keys?

PostMon Feb 15, 2016 1:24 pm

Hello¡
I tried this way: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=12476
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Grant_Youngman

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Re: Anyone tried re-finishing plastic keys?

PostMon Feb 15, 2016 3:46 pm



This is Howard Piano Industries. I've purchased several (piano related) items from them in the past — felt, hammer hardener, tools, wood cleaners/polish). They have videos on their website that show the various replacement key tops they supply, as well as instructions on how to install.

Not sure how these materials would work on an organ keyboard that isn't wood core with glued tops or doesn't match a standard piano key in width/length, but might be worth a look if you want to replace rather than refinish.

They also offer chemicals and cleaning/polish compounds for keys — the efficacy of which I guess depends on how degraded the key tops are to begin with.
Grant
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engrssc

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Re: Anyone tried re-finishing plastic keys?

PostMon Feb 15, 2016 4:03 pm

Most replacement key tops are very slightly oversize, maybe a 32nd or 16th to permit trimming to the exact original key width. I did one on an old Rodgers quite a while ago. I had to remove the keys which wasn't really a big deal and used a small router to finish trimming. The end result was very good looking to the point no one noticed that a restore job had been done. Found the naturals were more worn than the sharps so I didn't do anything to them (the sharps that is). Anyway, the more important item was that the touch on the finished keys was excellent. I've played some fairly old real pipe organs that had well worn keys. Maybe it's just me, but while playing, I spent a lot of time thinking how horrible these old keys felt. :(

Certainly would not recommend painting or staining.

Rgds,
Ed
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Romanos

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Re: Anyone tried re-finishing plastic keys?

PostWed May 25, 2016 3:16 pm

Just wanted to follow up here and find out if you ended up doing any work to your keyboards... I've often wondered about refinishing my keys too. I feel like a set of faux ivory keytops is a lot cheaper than 3 new keyboards....
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engrssc

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Re: Anyone tried re-finishing plastic keys?

PostThu May 26, 2016 2:44 am

Romanos wrote:I feel like a set of faux ivory keytops is a lot cheaper than 3 new keyboards....


The trade off is the time required, quite a bit esp if you want to do a good job.ds

Rgds,
Ed
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Romanos

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Re: Anyone tried re-finishing plastic keys?

PostThu May 26, 2016 7:31 am

indeed; yet I have time... not the $$ for new keyboards :?
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scottherbert

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Re: Anyone tried re-finishing plastic keys?

PostThu May 26, 2016 12:53 pm

No, I didn't. I was sort of thinking about painting them to get reverse color keyboards, or perhaps a wipe-on, wipe-off type of wood stain to get a wood effect on the naturals, but the Ed said "Don't!!!" So I am just going to leave well enough alone.....maybe.....perhaps........who knows?

~Scott
"Life is just a dream, it is in death that we truly awaken!"

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