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The process was initially orally instructed by our shop owner Mr. Jude Reveley. On the first time, it was done with a drill press. But the drill press table is only so long. The holes at and near the two ends of keyframe are hard to drill straight or perpendicular to the keyframe. This is the second time of glider studs installation. It is done by hand. Hopefully a more accurate and efficient way or ways can be developed through time and with advice from colleagues and professionals. The keyboard maker Reyburn Pianoworks made us very beautiful keys following Mr. Reveley's geometric design. We did not pay for having the glider studs installed. But Reyburn kindly plugged the old stud holes and put in new balance rail and pins. The plug indicates the original location of the studs. We can start from here rather than putting the keyframe in the piano to mark the location. From the bottom of the keyframe, use a very thin drill bit to drill through the center of the plug. Turn the keyframe right side up and check if the tiny guide holes are just between keys. Flip the frame again, with a forstner bit, open up slots for the glider stud heads. The bit size is slightly larger than the glider stud head. Check the depth of the slot. The head should be able to stay flush to the rail surface or a little deeper. The tiny guide hole allows the forstner bit to stay centered without moving around. Turn the frame right side up, use a bit for the glider stud body, drill through the guide holes completely. It is not a bad idea to drill on a test piece to see if the stud can screw in smoothly, not too loose and not too tight. Countersink the two ends of the holes to prevent swelling during installation. Flip the frame over, tap for the studs. Mr. Reveley made a tap from an old glider stud. The head was cut off and a tapping/cutting slot was notched. While tapping, make sure the tap is perpendicular to the keyframe from all directions. Wax can be applied to the tap for a smooth work process. Wax the threaded part on the studs, install from the bottom of the keyframe. Turn them all the way up on the right side of the keyframe. Make sure the stud surface is polished before installation. Put in the keys by the studs, check for clearance. The second picture shows enough clearance. The last picture shows that the keys have to be modified for the clearance. Mark where the stud is rubbing the keys. On a drum sander, open up slots for the clearance. Watch that the slot is straight. Reinstall the keys, pivot the keys back and forth to check if further modification is needed.
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