Keybed repair

[Dave Doremus]

Has anyone repaired/replaced a Steinway keybed? I have a model B, 20 
years old, that was flooded up to the keyframe. The soundboard is 
still in amazingly good shape. It needs complete new action, keys, 
dampers, strings, tuning pins, finish work etc, etc. All that is 
massive but fairly normal. What Im worried about is that it looks 
like the keybed has swollen, opening about a 3/16" gap between the 
rail and stiles in the treble end. There are no gaps at the belly 
rail or stretcher. It almost seems as if the rim has spread apart a 
bit at the bottom but not the top. The rim is intact, no cracks or 
gaps. I have not tried applying any clamps yet, Im still figuring out 
whether or not to attempt anything at all. The owner would really 
like to save it if at all possible, having heard all my usual 
warnings about the long term viability of the instrument after 
exposure to that kind of moisture. Advice?
-- 
----Dave


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Dave Doremus, RPT
New Orleans
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