Fitting the keyboard

While getting ready to nail the case bottom on, I checked to make sure the keyframe fit correctly inside the keywell, and also dropped in a few jacks to make sure they would sit centered on the keys. Everything looks to be A-OK.

112 keys

After long weeks of shaping, smoothing, sanding, spacing, leveling, and balancing, the two keyboards are almost, but not quite, done. There's still some final touches left to apply, but I'm almost ready to move on to something else, and not a minute too soon.

Backracking

Work on the keyboards continues, but I've reached a point where it's time to make a new part -- the back rack which manages the lower keyboard guide pins. I started with a piece of basswood of roughly the right size and shape, then marked it with lines where each of the keys will go. Using the drill press, I drilled holes through each of the lines:




Then with a thin-kerf table saw blade and a special jig to hold the piece, I cut the grooves for the guide pins.



Cutting all those grooves took a while, but then it was ready to screw into the back of the keyframe.



I've still got a ways to go with the keyboards, but now the keyframe is finished.