Friday, February 19, 2010

What kind of glue/adhesive is best for attaching old ivory and ebony replacement keys to a piano?

I have an early 1900's Howard upright and need to reattach many of the key tops, fronts, tails and some of the ebony. ThanksWhat kind of glue/adhesive is best for attaching old ivory and ebony replacement keys to a piano?
To reattach ivory key tops, Marine Epoxy, or GE White Silicone Glue is recommended. Be sure to scrape clean the wood surface of the key before attaching the ivory. The ivory tops can be brittle and you must be careful when cleaning them.





Clear or white colored Silicone Glue would be okay for the ebony black keys. If the ebony is chipped, or scraped or marked, fill in the imperfections with a black magic marker.





To glue wood to wood in other piano repairs, use Elmer's Carpenter Glue, or a good water based carpenter's glue.





The old ebony (sharp) key needs to be cut from the wood with a sharp knife. Carpenter's glue can be used to to attach the replacement key to the key lever, and clamp the pieces with small window mesh clamps and rubber bands.





If you are using a restoration kit with plastic keys, PVC-E glue sold at piano repair shops can is sometimes more durable than Silicone glue.





The 3rd link below mentions other types of glue used by professionals. It is a forum maintained by Barrie Heaton of the UK Piano Page. You may want to register and draw on their expertise.What kind of glue/adhesive is best for attaching old ivory and ebony replacement keys to a piano?
Quick set epoxy, 5 minutes to set and will take any abuse you want to give it
I agree with the gorilla glue answer but would like to add: Read the directions!!! It expands as it dries.It works like the canned foam insulation. I learned this the hard way.
Gorilla glue is the best in the world. Strong yet soft.

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