CBH Nailing the harpsichord keyend cloth

• Always read the accompanying technical description!

More harpsichord stuff @ http://www.hpschd.nu

Carey Beebe demonstrating how to nail and trim the upper keyboard keyend cloth.

This is one of the many repetitive tasks made possible with the right tools. The woven red keyend cloth is fed from its roll, and nailed with two nails on the upper surface of the key first. The tiny 10mm (3/8˝) cloth nails are inserted into a magnetic bradpusher, the point of which is then located at the nail position and pushed firmly to seat the nail in the limewood of the keylever. The key is flipped and the cloth is stretched around the end of the key. Two nails are located using a simple jig, pressing against the end of the key. The jig is then flipped to provide a guide for precise and consistent trimming with an sharp X-Acto knife.

French Double Harpsichord after Blanchet, Carey Beebe Sydney 2009,
commission for Qasr Al Alam Guest House, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

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[josh9point0]

Is the felt you use (for this application, dampers, and all the other felt used in a harpsichord/clavichord) available from shops like Spotlight/Lincraft? Or is it of a special construction/density?

When purchasing felt, do you have a choice of colour? Or do they come in a limited few colours?

Does anyone request white, black, or fluoro pink felt?!?

[hpschdnu]

Most harpsichord cloths are chosen for the purpose, and are woven by specialist musical instrument trade suppliers. The commonly used colors—at least for the past two centuries—are scarlet, green and white. I use a soft black woollen cloth or even cashmere for certain areas where controlled compression is required. I wouldn't go for fluoro effects!

[harpsi8]

the piece of wood what is it used for?

[hpschdnu]

The accompanying text describes the use of the jig. It enables the nails on the underside of the key to be precisely located, and then is flipped to guide the blade for trimming the cloth.

[josh9point0]

@hpschdnu I see. They sound very expensive! Does regular felt perform so substandardly ?

[josh9point0]

@hpschdnu Jigs, ay? They're used for very specific things. Fun to make, use and allow many repetitive actions, to be all alike. Cool!!