Shop Tips and Tricks

[voltergeist]

I figured I'd start a thread for those little shop tricks that make a job easier and the end result better.  I'll throw out a few of mine you may find useful. 

Blue Loctite
A suitcase cabinet should be viewed as a high-vibration environment.  In avionics (another high-vibration environment), the rule is every fastener must have a locking mechanism.  These would be lock washers, star washers, nylon-ring lock nuts, etc, or thread locker.  Blue Loctite is a low-strength thread-locker, meaning you can remove the screws easily - unlike red Loctite, which is meant for large bolts and removal will make you wish you were never born.  Use blue loctite on screws into tapped holes.  Follow the avionics rule of always using a locking mechanism on machine screws in an amplifier.  And any application where machine screws tend to come loose.

Beeswax
If you're putting screws in wood, you should have beeswax.  Just pull your screw across the wax to get a bit on the screw before driving it in.  Makes life easier.  Also good for screwing into plastic, such as the screws that attach the rail to the cheek blocks.  Use it on stainless machine screws to prevent binding.

WD40/Light Oil When Cutting or Drilling Metal
If you're cutting metal, lubricant is your friend.  If you're drilling a hole, put a drop of lubricant at the entry point.  If you're cutting with a hack saw, spray some WD40 on the blade before you start cutting.  If you're using a band saw, spray some WD40 on the blade while it's running.  I hadn't fully appreciated the benefits until I started machining, but at some point when I was cutting some big block of aluminum on the bandsaw, I decided to shoot some WD40 on the blade and see what happened.  I was astounded - the bandsaw cut about 5x as fast with a lubricated blade.  High-end bandsaws have built-in systems to apply lubricant while they're cutting.

Impact Driver
Tone bar screws cannot be tightened sufficiently with a wrench.  An impact driver will get the screw tight, and get the best tone out of the assembly.  Be careful, though, they have enough power to break off the screw head.

Calipers
A good set of calipers is an excellent investment for anyone doing Rhodes work.  Use it for measuring tine length, screw shank/thread diameters (for selecting the right-size pilot holes), and pretty much anything else.  I use my calipers more than my tape measure.  A good one (Starrett, Mitotoyo, Brown & Sharpe) can be found used for under $100.  Cheapies are around $30 at a home improvement store.

Zip Ties
Zip ties are useful for all kind of things, but specifically for bundling wires and cables. 

Hot Glue gun
Generally useful, especially for stabilizing electronic connectors and large parts and tacking down rework wires on PC boards.

Peterson Stroboscopic Tuner
It's a pretty big investment, but there is simply no substitute for tuning a Rhodes well.

Vise
To align tines with tonebars and set the tonebar screw, you need a vise.  One of the basic essentials of any shop.

File
A good small single-cut mill file is very useful.  And get a wood handle for it.  ONLY push with a file.  Lift the file off the workpiece on the backstroke or you'll dull the file.  You should have a file cleaning brush to clean out the teeth to maintain performance.  Incidentally, military machinists are first taught how to make parts with a hacksaw and a file before they even touch a mill or lathe.

2" Industrial Velcro
I've probably used about 100' of 2" Velcro in the last 3 years.  Along with zip ties, hot glue, and pop rivets, Velcro is one of the most generally useful materials one can possess.  My convention is that the hook goes on the stationary part, and loop goes on the removable part.  The adhesive on the industrial stuff is very good, but if I'm using it on a suitcase baffle frame, I'll staple it, too.

Pilot Holes
Very basic, but probably worth noting.  Most wood screws (other than drywall-type screws) need a pilot hole.  The pilot hole should the the size of the screw shank, which is the diameter of the shaft the threads wrap around.  If the screw is going through one piece (not screwing into it, but just passing through it) and screwing into another piece, the diameter of the hole the screw slips through should be the diameter of the threads (actually, just a wee bit larger is ideal).

[squarebubble]

File
A good small single-cut mill file is very useful.  And get a wood handle for it.  ONLY push with a file.  Lift the file off the workpiece on the backstroke or you'll dull the file.  You should have a file cleaning brush to clean out the teeth to maintain performance.  Incidentally, military machinists are first taught how to make parts with a hacksaw and a file before they even touch a mill or lathe.

Always use a new file on brass first. If you use it on steel first you may strip the tips off the teeth making the file useless. Also a thin piece of brass is great for cleaning a file properly. Push it diagonally across the file following the line of the teeth. I used to repair clocks and my files were my key tools. My favourite is a pillar file, it has two safe edges and is designed for filing flat.

[David Aubke]

Always use a new file on brass first. If you use it on steel first you may strip the tips off the teeth making the file useless.

Huh. This is a new one on me.

Do you have any details about this? What does the brass do to condition the file for use on steel?

[pianotuner steveo]

Zip ties make good temporary clamps when gluing wood to wood. More often in Wurlis and in acoustic pianos, but still, probably some Rhodes uses.

[David Aubke]

Always use a new file on brass first. If you use it on steel first you may strip the tips off the teeth making the file useless.

Huh. This is a new one on me.

Do you have any details about this? What does the brass do to condition the file for use on steel?

I found some additional information on this.
http://www.chaski.com/homemachinist/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=51604&sid=3095b6f7bb7f1258eaa266d2fe83bc2b&start=0
More than I ever wanted to know about using a file.

[voltergeist]

Cutting Aluminum on a Miter Saw
Aluminum can be cut on a miter saw with a carbide blade.  A normal crosscut blade can be used, though it's better to use a blade specially-designed for non-ferrous metals.  I cut to length the block I used for the sparkletop kick plate on the miter saw, and that block is 3/4" thick and 3" wide!  A little WD40 and a slow feed rate and it cuts through aluminum like butter.  A slow feed rate is important to avoid accidents.  Safety glasses recommended.

[voltergeist]

Vise and Crescent wrench to straighten tone bars
Often when one tries to align the tine with the tonebar, it become apparent that the tonebar isn't itself straight (especially the low register where the tonebars have multiple bends, but the higher ones with only the twist aren't always straight). 

I basically hold the tonebar in the vise and use a large crescent wrech to bend the tonebar straight.

I start with the base (where the holes are) in the vise and straighten the first section.  Then, I put the just-straightened section in the vise and straighten the next section, and so on.

Aligning tine to tonebar in the vise
Also, to align the tine with the tonebar, I put the body of the tine in the vise, tighten the screw snug, tap the tonebar straight with a small ball pien hammer, then apply full torque to the screw with a nut driver bit in an impact driver.  I've tried a number of other methods, but this is the one I've found to provide good precision, and the greatest likelihood of getting it right on the first try.

Epoxy
Epoxy should be in your bag of tricks if it's not already.  On Rhodes, I typically use it to glue in reinforcement blocks in the corners of early Mk1 piano cabinets and any Mk1/Mk2 amp cabinets.  Usually one of the surfaces is painted, so I'll scrape off the paint with a chisel before glueing in the block.

Glueing separated piano cabinet corners
Early Mk1's didn't have the reinforcement block in the back corners as the later Mk1's did, so the back tends to separate from the sides.  When repairing these, I mix up some 1 hour epoxy and use a large syringe with needle to inject the epoxy into the joint (after blowing some compressed air into the joint to try to clean out any debris).  Then, I'll clamp it up, with one clamp on each side running from the top of the back to the front lip (following the angle of the side), and one or two clamps across the back.  The clamps from front to back pull the back in, and the clamps across the back pull the sides in.  I let that set for 24 hours, then epoxy in 3/4x3/4 reinforcement blocks as were used on the later Mk1's.

Stanley ratcheting screwdriver
I've got a lot of screwdrivers, the one rules them all: Stanley's ratcheting screwdriver.  They're cheap ($10-15), I've never had one fail (I've got two of my own and three at work), good ergonomics, integrated bit storage, and a "lock" position.  They're fabulous for Rhodes work. (link below)

http://images.esellerpro.com/41/W/412/52/lrgscaleSTA068010.JPG

#3 Phillips bit
Anyone doing Rhodes work needs a #3 Phillips bit.  A #2 is too small for harp screws, and using one can/will mar the screws.  Always use the correct size driver for the screw you're working with.  If you use a screwdriver with removable tips, that's a $2-3 investment for a #3 bit.

Nut drivers
If you don't have a set of nut drivers, get one.

[squarebubble]

I found some additional information on this.
http://www.chaski.com/homemachinist/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=51604&sid=3095b6f7bb7f1258eaa266d2fe83bc2b&start=0
More than I ever wanted to know about using a file.

There's more information here too:

http://www.appropedia.org/Filing_Metal

When I was a Clockmaker's apprentice, one of the first things I was taught was how to use a file and how to take care of one. I have seen many files over the years with broken teeth, but none by my hand. I wouldn't use a file card for cleaning though, a good steel brush will do and then a brass strip when the file becomes clogged.

[voltergeist]

Fishing Tackle Boxes for Small Part Storage

I've accumulated a lot of miscellaneous hardware, and after driving to the hardware store to buy stuff and then finding I already had the parts in some bag in a drawer, I realized I needed a better way to store my stuff.  Clear plastic tackle boxes from an outdoors store work really well.  They tend to be around $7 each.  I have a mix of deep and shallow boxes.  It seems no matter how many I get, I can always use one more.  I haven't even started on resistors and capacitors. 

[voltergeist]

Here are tine lengths in mils (for those using calipers):

[voltergeist]

Luxo Wave Magnifying Lamp
I highly recommend these lamps (especially with the 45 inch arm).  We have hundreds of these lamps at work- every electronics tech has one provided.  I got kind of spoiled using them at work and eventually bought two of them for my shop, and they've been fantastic.  I would like to have two more  They're expensive new, but used ones on eBay seem to go for around $100.  Still not cheap, but worth every penny, imo.

-The rectangular lense is far superior to circular (circular is fine for one eye, but most people have two)
-The internal spring design is excellent - it stays where you put it, even after years of constant use
-Dual lights give off a lot of light - and you can put it right where you need it
-It's one of those things that you might not think you need, but once you have one, you'll never want to be without it.  And you may find yourself wishing for another.  And another.
-A short one is better than none, but I highly recommend getting the 45 inch arm model

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41BwufgC%2BFL.jpg

[voltergeist]

I recently picked up a few apps for my phone that are pretty handy.  I forgot my phone today (how the hell did I do that?), and I don't remember the exact names of the apps I'm using.  I got pay versions because I'd rather pay a few bucks for SW than give some unknown entity a laundry list of access to my phone. 

Waveform Generator App
Use your phone as a waveform generator for testing electronics.  The one I got was $1.59 and has the basic functions and layout of the industry-standard Agilent generators.  It will do frequency sweeps, too, which can be very useful for testing over a wide range of frequencies (maybe a problem only presents itself at low or high frequencies), or evaluating the flatness of an amplifier's response.

Frequency Analyzer App
I think the one I got was $6.  Lots of uses.  Find what frequency is feeding back, use it as a visual aid when voicing (fundamental vs overtones), find resonances, etc.  Eyes + ears > ears. 

[David Aubke]

I use one of those magnifying lamps over my bench. I rarely purchase anything from Harbor Freight but now, four years later it's still working just fine. It's got the circular lens and it works well enough but the field of vision is quite small. For magnification, I usually reach for my Optivisor.

In the rest of the shop, I use inverted boom microphone stands.

(the thing in front of the ceiling fan)

[timpotent]

Is it a key polisher on your electric screwdriver ?
Seems nice ! 

[voltergeist]

Good eye, timpotent. David- I'm interested in some details on the tools, materials, and methods for key polishing, if you don't mind sharing.

[David Aubke]

I do it differently now but when that picture was taken: for a worst-case-but-still-salvagable key, I used some regular sandpaper, 220 or 320 grit. Once I got below the damage, I switched to 3M WetOrDry Polishing Papers. I ran through all the grits from 400 to 8000. Then I used the polishing pad in the picture. I had three grades of polishing compound but if I really went all the way down to 8000 with the papers, I'd just start with the fine compound. You need to use a different pad for each compound.

[David Aubke]

Well, that worked OK but it took a long time and I never could get the black keys to look as good as I thought they could. Now I use a large buffing rig. The difference is profound. I only have to sand down to about 600. One quick pass on the buffing wheel immediately brings a shine that surpasses results I ever got before.

[David Aubke]

Otherwise, it's replace the whole set of white tops.

I repair chips in the black keys with black super glue. I've never replaced black keytops.

Disclosure - all links go to my day job

[camaro guy]

I used a buffing wheel on a lathe with regular stick-type plastic polishing compound for the keys and it made a huge, huge difference.  This is the same way we polish scratches out of acrylic stuff in the shop and it worked wonders on the keys.  Obviously, the wheel can be spun on whatever motor is convenient and available.

My only suggestion would be to write the key numbers in pencil *before* you take them all out.  I thought, "hey, they're stamped, just pull them out and start polishing."  Yes, they are stamped, but about 50% are somewhat to almost totally illegible, so getting them back in the right places took a lot longer than it should have.  The next time the keys had to come out, they were numbered *first*.  :-)

[David Aubke]

This is the same way we polish scratches out of acrylic stuff in the shop and it worked wonders on the keys.

Do you restore Camaros? Got a link to any photos?

[Peter Hayes]

Numbering the keys before removing is always a good thing.

[voltergeist]

A buffer is definately my next large tool purchase.  I think I would mostly use it for polishing aluminum, but I'd also want to be able to polish keys.  My inclination is toward the Grizzly 1061 3450rpm buffer.  The Stew Mac buffer is a good bit more expensive, and though ideal for finishes, it appears to be less than ideal for metal. 

Would a 3450rpm buffer be ok for polishing keys? 

http://www.grizzly.com/products/The-Buffing-System-3450-RPM/G1061

[David Aubke]

The StewMac rig turns the buffs at 715 RPM so that you don't melt your guitar's finish. 3450 seems like a big jump from 715 so I wouldn't want to speculate. Grizzly does offer one that turns at 1725 RPM but maybe that wouldn't work well for your other applications.

Maybe this evening I'll mount my small wheel to my bench grinder and see what it does to a scrap keytop. I'll report back.

[voltergeist]

PanaVise Electronic Work Center

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12710563&numProdsPerPage=60

It looks kinda hokey, but it's a great tool. 
-Designed especially to hold circuit boards, and it does that nicely
-Quick release latch
-Very flexible positioning - once your board is clamped in, you can move it around into just about any position that suits you
-Holders for solder, solderwick, soldering iron, and sponge allow you to just pick up the Panavise, move it where you need it, and have everything you need to do a quick repair (or a not-so-quick repair)
-Found it to be generally useful - for instance I use it to hold my smartphone if I'm making a video or using the phone as test equipment (signal generator or spectrum analyzer)
-Decent quality (I've seen many professional engineering techs using them)

[camaro guy]

This is the same way we polish scratches out of acrylic stuff in the shop and it worked wonders on the keys.

Do you restore Camaros? Got a link to any photos?

Actually, I haven't really restored any Camaros.  The name comes from the 85 T-top Z28 that's my daily driver.  My first big restoration project was (and still is) a 76 Corvette that started in very bad shape.  In fact, most of the skills I use on my Rhodes resto work are pretty similar to the ones I developed from car work.  Except for the Tolex part.  I haven't seen any Tolex-covered cars yet.     The shop comment referred to the machine shop in our department where I sometimes do some job-related projects.

[Peter Hayes]

I haven't seen any Tolex-covered cars yet.


Wouldn't the Landau roofs from years ago sort of be like tolex?

[voltergeist]

Colored Zip Ties For Color-Coding Cables

I use colored zip ties on the ends of cables to provide an easy way to individualize them.  With color-coded ends, one never needs to trace a cable - rather, one needs only look at the ends. 

[voltergeist]

This one from Eastwood looks like a decent buffer, and is two-speed (1720/3450 RPM).  The shafts aren't as long as the Grizzly buffers, though.  The Eastwood costs about $100 less than the Grizzlies.

http://www.eastwood.com/1-hp-buff-kit.html

[voltergeist]

I pulled the trigger on that Eastwood 2-speed buffer. 

One thing I want to try is to polish a Mk1 namerail to a mirror finish.  How cool would that be?

[Student Rhodes]

I had the anodizing stripped off a name rail, and had it polished at a local shop.  It looks nice, but not as dramatic as you'd have hoped.  End up looking more like a dullish stainless steel.  Not sure if I'm going to use it.  Perhaps I need to ask them to take it out to a higher polish, but I don't know how easy that would be because of the ridges in the face of the rail.

I've considered having a metal shop make me a rail like the ones you'd see on a sparkle top.  That you could chrome to look like a mirror.

[voltergeist]

If you're buying an electric staple gun for applying grill cloth, DO NOT buy an Arrow.  Buy the Bostich.  I had an Arrow (two consecutively, actually), and I really grew to hate them.  They jam constantly, removing a jam is a pain, and reloading staples is not very convenient.  The Bostich, on the other hand, rarely jams, in the rare event it does jam, it's easy to clear, and staples are quick and easy to reload.  And it's the same price as the P.O.S. Arrow.  Clearing jams in the Arrow at least doubled the time to cover a baffle.  If the Bostich craps out on me I'll be looking for a professional quality pneumatic stapler.

Here's the Bostich:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_398889-355-BTE550_0__?productId=3682814&Ntt=electric+stapler&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Delectric%2Bstapler&facetInfo=

Here's the Arrow that sucks royally:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_82403-412-ETFX50_0__?productId=1101801&Ntt=electric+stapler&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Delectric%2Bstapler&facetInfo=

[David Aubke]

The Bostitch SX1838K worked well for me for the 1" staples used to assemble the cabinets.

[voltergeist]

The Bostitch SX1838K worked well for me for the 1" staples used to assemble the cabinets.

Nice stapler, but no good for grill cloth.  Need something that shoots T50-style staples for grill cloth.

[Student Rhodes]

I put a grill cloth on a Supro amp baffle once with a T-50.  Had to go back over every staple with a small hammer.  Ugh...

[The Real MC]

I used 3M weatherstripping adhesive to repair torn tolex.  Not only is it strong and sets fast, but it is also black so that excess isn't visible.

[Alan Lenhoff]

I repair chips in the black keys with black super glue. I've never replaced black keytops.

David:

Revisiting this old thread...

I went to your blog and read about your key repairs.  I have a single black key with a chip in it, and your black super glue method sounds like a great idea.

Can you describe the full process (grades of sandpaper that you successively employed, any special polish, etc.?

Thanks,

Alan

[sopranojam85]

I've always wondered what was the translucent pasty stuff on tone bar screws. Bee's wax? That makes sense. Never seen mention of that in the Rhodes service manual, unless I'm just completely missing it.

Thank you - this was a fantastic thread. Lots of things I should now add to my toolbox.

[David Aubke]

Alan,
This is something I've done only on a few occasions and I haven't developed any kind of schedule. I would say I used some 320 grit sandpaper on a block of wood to knock down the initial bump. Then I probably went through a few grits of 3M Wetordry Polishing Papers.

At first, I was using a foam polishing pad and compounds we sell at my day job. But I was never able to get a really good shine until I started using a buffing wheel and Menzerna polishing compound.

[Alan Lenhoff]

Thanks David.