Annoying Key Rattle, Easy Fix?

[Polkahero]

I have two keys on the upper manual on my A100 that always rattle when I play them in succession, the F and G above Middle C. Last week I installed new upstop and downstop felts in both manuals in hopes that it would take care of this problem. Even though the action is improved and quieter overall, I still have this rattle on these two notes. Is it possible to make an adjustment to the keys by taking the drawbar assembly off and not having to raise the manuals again? Any idea what might be causing this? There isn't much side-to-side play so I'm thinking it's not a key comb issue.

[picothinker]

Play your 7th trills in any key except G?

/ducks

[redoctoberff]

You might check the screws holding in those keys (on the back of the manual) to see that the keys themselves are seated properly and that the screw is tight. Otherwise the keys will not be secure and can rattle.

[Johan64']

Are the keys screwed down? My old Hammond had a problem with keys that weren't screwed down. []

It also had a problem with loose screws causing rattling, such as reoctoberff said.

[Brendon Wright]

Also watch out in case there's a dead snake under the manuals....

Johan was talking about the screws that attach the plastic key to the metal channel part, they have a washer as well which could jangle a bit...

[Brendon Wright]

Here's a pic of the keys from the side:

and at the back are screws:

the key has to be properly seated on the small studs..

AND if the felts under the keys are worn out they keys will be rattly in that they knock when they go down, they knock when they come up again, and might even travel sideways a little when you do a palm smear.

Replacements for those can be bought.

We'll recommend a place or two if you need one...

[Polkahero]

Thanks for the tips, guys. So. . .Do I have to raise the manuals to get at these screws? I just replaced the felts, Brendon.

[handyczech]

As long as they keys are on the upper manual, you can get them out by raising the drawbar base only. You will need to back out the hex screws on the rattling keys and any adjacent sharps, in this case F# and G#. Slip the bronze colored spring upwards out of the grip of the hex screw, and the key and channel will lift out in a rearwards direction, sharps first, then the naturals.

Look at the screws from the underside first. DO NOT CRANK AWAY WITH A SCREWDRIVER to try and tighten them. If you remove the screws first, you may find that the posts that receive the screws are cracked or snapped off. In that case, good plastic glue and put the screws back without the washers, this lengthens the bite into uncracked plastic.

If you are lucky, just snug up the screws.

Inspect for worn felt on the key combs, the little square riveted piece of felt. If these are worn or under specs, the keys will clack from side to side.

I have heard of people rotating the felt 90 deg on the rivet to gain a new surface, but I have never tried this.

[Bobmann]

All this information is spot on.
Chances are that either the screws holding the plastic portion of the key to the metal rail are loose, the boss in the plastic half is broken, or you may have worn felts in the key comb...any one of which cause the rattle.
BE CAREFUL if you do try to tighten these screws down more...the plastic is not difficult to break.
A point of interest...if you have not taken any keys off yet indicates that you have replaced the felts for only the natural keys...felts for the sharps are under the keycomb for the downstop, and the upstop is the felt on the keycomb. This is really just FYI...if the key action is satisfactory, so much the better.

Also...if you do take the keys out, observe Brendon's comment about the posts and aligning the spring; if you tighten the screw without aligning the post to the hole, you eill bend the spring, and your key will not line up properly.
These little screws also break or strip very easily...speaking from experience...so have a gentle touch here also.
Look here: http://www.youtube.com/bobmann107#p/u/3/vnwO0m7eEpg
There are also videos on the keyboard on an H that share the same post and screw mounting configuration.
This may prevent you from making some of the mistakes I made.

Bob

[Polkahero]

So to remove the drawbar base, I have to remove all of the screws with washers then? There's a lot of screws on top of that base!