Allen Clicking Keys

[samibe]

My ADC organ has several keys that click when I let go of them. I'm pretty sure that it is the keytop bouncing around in the groove of the keystick. Are there any recommended fixes for this?
My ideas thus far have included using thin felt or yarn as a spacer in the groove to keep the key from clicking but I don't want to split the keystick or have little bits of felt/yarn that work their way out and make a mess. I've considered putting a very small dot of hot glue on the keytop fin that fits in the groove. My idea there would be to use just enough glue to keep the keytop from clicking but not so much that it glues the keytop to the keystick.

[Piperdane]

More than once, when I was an Allen technician, I had to replace the felt for the keyboards. It's an easy job, takes maybe a few hours.

[samibe]

Which felt? There is a felt washer on all of the upstop nuts but all of those seem to be fine. If memory serves, playing the bare keystick (with the keytop removed) did not cause a click.

[twnelson]

The keysticks may already be split at the base of the slot, opening it up far enough that the keytop can rattle. That's what I found on a friend's Allen with several clicking keys.

Poking a drop of Titebond into the split and clamping it has fixed all the problem keys so far.

--- Tom

[samibe]

Thanks Tom. I'll give that a shot. I had assumed the the dryer climate might have caused the groove to open up.

[samibe]

Piperdane, I shouldn't have dismissed your advice. Apparently my memory didn't serve very well.
I had a few minutes to work on my organ today. I removed a few of the worst keytops and I didn't see any splitting or cracking in the groove of the keysticks. Additionally, the bare keysticks still clicked. I ended up rotating the felt upstop punchings (if that is what they are called) a few degrees and the click went away for almost all of the keys. Of course, I had to re-level the keys after doing that. I guess the punchings have some hard spots and probably ought to be replaced. What should I use to replace the punchings? I have hundreds of piano balance rail felt punchings. Would those work? Is there a recommended method for removing the nylon upstop nut quickly (fingers, socket, or drill and socket)? Thanks for the help.

[Larrytow]

I realize that this does not really apply to your organ sambie, but there is also another cause for Allen keys clicking sometimes.

When the weather has been very dry for a while, the wood keysticks shrink a tiny bit, causing the screws that hold the keytops in place to get a bit loose. Then when you play, you hear the keytop click against the keystick. Normally just a little tightening cures it.

[Piperdane]

Piperdane, I shouldn't have dismissed your advice. Apparently my memory didn't serve very well.
I had a few minutes to work on my organ today. I removed a few of the worst keytops and I didn't see any splitting or cracking in the groove of the keysticks. Additionally, the bare keysticks still clicked. I ended up rotating the felt upstop punchings (if that is what they are called) a few degrees and the click went away for almost all of the keys. Of course, I had to re-level the keys after doing that. I guess the punchings have some hard spots and probably ought to be replaced. What should I use to replace the punchings? I have hundreds of piano balance rail felt punchings. Would those work? Is there a recommended method for removing the nylon upstop nut quickly (fingers, socket, or drill and socket)? Thanks for the help.

The 'felt' I was referring to was at the bottom of the keys ... the clicking in one particular organ was the wooden key hitting the bottom of the key stroke. My present church AOB is starting to do this now, too.

[don60]

Allen through their local dealer can supply the round felt punchings at a reasonable cost. Why take a chance on a "looks like" product when the real thing is available? I would think that a small electric drill and a socket would make quick work of spinning the nylon nuts on and off.

[samibe]

Thanks Piperdane and Don60. I'll watch out for clicking at the bottom of a keystroke. I'll also contact my Allen tech to get some punchings.

[samibe]

Update: I needed to buy a couple things from Schaff recently and decided to buy some balance rail punchings with my order. The ones I got were the thickest ones Schaff sells (at 0.115"). They were only a few dollars per package of 100.

So far I have replaced all of the upstop punchings on my bottom manual. It is now click-free. I'm pretty sure they are the same punchings Allen used. They are exactly the same size and color. The only real difference is that the old punchings have a compressed and hardened area while the new ones are soft, springy, and clean.

I used a screwdriver with a 3/8" socket to remove the nylon nuts quickly. I then switched the punchings out and started the nylon nut by hand (it can be easy to cross-thread the nylon nut if you're not careful) before using the screw driver to quickly adjust the key back into position.

[Al Offt]

Sam,
Are the punchings you bought the White Cloth - Extra Quality (No. 332A)? They are the only ones on page 97 of the catalog that are 0.115" thick.

I would like to replace those pieces on my organ some time this winter. I do not have a problem during the summer humidity but the clicking sound becomes noticeable in the winter.

How fussy is it to get all the keys aligned again? Do you use a procedure such as replacing one 'cushion' at a time and then adjusting that key so it just touches a straight edge resting on the adjacent keys.

[samibe]

Sam,
Are the punchings you bought the White Cloth - Extra Quality (No. 332A)? They are the only ones on page 97 of the catalog that are 0.115" thick.

Those are the ones.
I replaced them one at a time. I might do the other manuals all at once though. The keys are pretty easy to realign. I didn't use a straight-edge but I did use the piston rail and the plastic fin under the key to line everything back up. Eventually, I will go through and adjust everything so that it is straight enough that I can be proud.

[Al Offt]

Thanks for the confirmation Sam

One other quick question. Can an individual (non-business owner) order from them?

I took a look at the eCommerce page which required a login and then at the 'paper' form in the catalog and saw comments such as "net wholesale prices" and "check with your customer"

[myorgan]

Sam,

Thanks for starting this thread. I've had the same issues with most of my Allens, and your solution is excellent information to have. Thank you so much for sharing. I, too, await your answer on whether a commoner can purchase those pads, or if it requires dealer intervention.

Michael