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Useing Acrylikey to repair a chipped Ivory
AcryliKey® Ivory Repair System




Repairing Ivory with
"AcryliKey II"

AcryliKey II is an ivory repair system which has been developed by the manufacturer, specifically, for the repair of piano keyboard ivory.

NOTE: Although Ivory repairs with AcryliKey II can be done on site at the customer's home, these instructions have been written with the shop environment in mind. You will find it useful, to read these instructions when you have all of your normal shop equipment at your disposal, then modify the procedures in accordance with your circumstances.

 
PROCEDURE

1) Clean all existing dirt and fingerprints from the ivory by using a slightly dampened cloth which has been pre-moistened with warm water and mild hand-soap. Following this, remove all remaining residue with a water-dampened cloth only.

2) Using a small, file (not included, a round file gives good results) dress the chipped area(s) which are to be repaired. File away any dirt which may be present in the chipped section as well as any which may be hiding underneath the lip of the key itself. File a slight bevel all the way around the inner edge of the chip from both the top and bottom of the lip. See Figure (A)

3) At this point, using a "Stanley Knife," (not included,) or some other sharp bladed instrument, cut a narrow channel, all the way across the top of the of the key front, just beneath the ivory head, where the two pieces intersect. See Figure (B) (I find a small pyramid shape file the best for this job rather than a knife and file a slot under the lip) This area will act as a reservoir for extra repair material which will bond to both surfaces, and insure a much stronger over-all repair.

4) After the ivory has been cleaned, and prepared, take one of the plastic mixing cups, and place about one rounded scoop of White Acrylic Polymer Powder into it. Please be aware that this powder has been specially designed by the manufacturer to match piano ivory, and in most cases it is all that you should require for a beautiful repair. If, however, you find that you need a little more yellow color to match the ivory you're dealing with, simply add a bit of the Yellow Acrylic Polymer Powder to the white powder, already in the mixing cup, and shake these two dry powders together until you've achieved a color suitable to meet for your needs. *SEE NOTE ON BELOW

5) Using the included Pipette, place about 4 to 6 drops of Acrylic Monomer Liquid into mixing cup, and stir it in with the powders until the mixture achieves a thin, but creamy consistency. *SEE NOTE BELOW.

6) With a toothpick, immediately transfer the mixture into the chipped section of ivory to be repaired as well as into the reservoir you created in step 3. Although the mixture may be a bit runny at first, it will begin to coagulate within minutes. Until it does, hold the key with its front end upright and, again using a toothpick, gently coax the repair material to stay where you want it. Always build up the repair higher than the level of the ivory head as you will need to sand this flush later. See Figure (C)

*NOTE: ALL listed component amounts may vary according to the specific requirements of the repair, so don't be afraid to experiment with quantities and techniques. Be forewarned, however, that attempting to speed up the process by pre-mixing more material than is sufficient to repair one key at a time often results in bonding failures down the road.

7) Set this key aside to harden while you repair other Ivories (if any) by following the same procedure as above. If you have completed all your repairs, return any unused/untainted Acrylic Monomer Liquid into the bottle and tightly replace the lid. The mixing cups supplied are reusable and should be scraped clean with a toothpick before preparing a new batch. This is most easily done while the residue inside is still tacky but not yet hardened. To thoroughly clean the mixing cup, wipe it out with a soft cloth that has been moistened with a little Acrylic Monomer Liquid.

8) Once the repaired section(s) have hardened sufficiently, (Usually in about 10-15 minutes), level and shape them to the contour of the ivory head with the provided sanding paddles. Use the coarser grits first and gradually work toward the finest. Avoid scratching the Ivory as much as possible.

9) Buff the repaired keys using a buffing wheel and appropriate buffing compound until the repaired section matches the luster of the original Ivory.

HELPFUL HINTS

a) If you are doing more than a few repairs to any one keyboard, and are working on them in your shop, it is a good idea to save the repairs using AcryliKey II for last. i.e., Do all major cleaning, bleaching, sanding, and or buffing of the ivory first. As you do so, you will remove some of the yellowing, thus changing the ivory's color. When, in the end, you make the repairs using AcryliKey II, you can then be confident that the colors of the repaired sections will continue to match the rest of the ivory as it will already have changed all that it is going to.

b) If you are doing repairs in the customer's home, amend step (9) and finish your repairs by lightly buffing the repaired sections using a Moto Tool with a felt buffing pad. WARNING... A Moto Tool used at full speed in this manner may generate intense heat via the buffing pad. Be careful not to melt your repair or you'll have to do it over again.

c) Before you attempt using AcryliKey II on a customer's piano, first practice on some scrap ivory of your own in order to get used to working with it. If you do make a mistake or you're not pleased with your first attempts, don't worry. You can always remove the repair you've just done with a small file and try it again. With a little practice and an artistic eye, you'll soon be doing the work well enough to fool an elephant. GOOD LUCK!

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:
UK 01254 774599 Email: info@acrylikey.co.uk
USA 1-(503)-697-9254 Email: Rjwag@Pacifier.com

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Although This Product Is Safe To Use, You Should:
  • Avoid Inhaling The Fumes.
  • Use Only With Adequate Ventilation.
  • Avoid Allowing The Acrylic Monomer Liquid To Contact Your Skin.
  • Use The Protective Gloves Included.
  • Use Safety Glasses
  • Use a Dust Mask When Sanding (not included).



DISCLAIMER

RICHARD WAGNER "WAGNER TECHNICAL" HEREBY MAKES NO WARRANTY EITHER, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, BEYOND THAT OF REPLACEMENT OF THIS PRODUCT IF DEFECTIVE. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL RICHARD WAGNER "WAGNER TECHNICAL" BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE, DIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL, ARISING OUT OF THE USE, OR MISUSE, WHETHER THROUGH INTENT OR NEGLECT, OF THIS PRODUCT. THIS PRODUCT IS SOLD EXPRESSLY FOR USE IN IVORY RESTORATION AND IS IN NO WAY INTENDED AS A COSMETIC PRODUCT FOR HUMAN USAGE.


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© 2006 AcryliKey Ivory Repair System UK
Tel: 01254 774599 Email: sales@acrylikey.co.uk Fax: 01254 773158
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