From bruce@ashbysolutions.com Sat Jun 24 16:01:41 2006
Subject:Re: Simple keydip modification for FATAR waterfall organ keybeds

Hi Ben,

Interesting. It made me measure my Korg BX-3's keybed. The following measurements were taken, using a precision digital caliper:

White keys --

Normal full travel ** = 11.2mm
Maximum possible travel ++ = 12.1mm

Black keys --

Normal full travel = 11.2mm
Maximum possible travel = 11.7mm

** This is the travel that the key wants to naturally dip to.

++ To reach this level, one must press down as if using aftertouch (the BX-3 has none).

Based on that, I'll leave the BX-3 alone. It's not worth taking it apart for ~1mm, IMHO.

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions™ http://consult.ashbysolutions.com
978.386.7389 voice/fax
bruce@ashbysolutions.com


At 06:51 PM 6/24/2006 +0000, you wrote:
>After gigging with my homemade dual manual waterfall controller, it
>was obvious that the keydip needed to be corrected. Today I was
>successful reducing the keydip from 14mm to 10mm (stock hammond is
>8mm). I will also post the proceedure, but here is the full text for
>the group. It would be great to compile a list of cloen keyboards
>that work with this mod (first few steps are reversible). For those
>who have never played on an organ with shallow keydip, you are in for
>a pleasant surprise as your chops will "magically" improve!
>
>Good luck,
>-Ben
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>Simple Keydip mod for Fatar manufactured waterfall organ style
>keyboards
>by Ben Kuris 6/24/06
>
>Problem statement:
>Stock key dip on doepfer/fatar waterfall midi controller kit, MKE
>TP/8O is 14mm. The lower end of that motion is just plastic flex.
>Hammond A-102 has measured keydip of 8mm.
>
>Result:
>After mod, fatar has keydip of 10mm and retains touch sensitivity.
>Limit of key travel is now a large area of rubber so key action has a
>pleasing bounce during trills. Moving the limiting stop also stops
>key flex and reduces the chances of breaking a key.
>
>After the mod, keyboard action is noticeably faster and closer to a
>real Hammond.
>
>Time: 2hrs
>
>Materials/Tools:
>1) ~36" stip cut from a fan belt— approx 5mm thick with rubber
>top
>2) Optional medium dampening gel (NYE NYO Gel 774 or equivalent)
>3) Needlenose pliers (for removing key springs)
>4) Glue gun
>
>Method:
>1) Remove about 5 keys.
>2) Cut about 10cm off of belt and slide under a white key so
>that the belt is as far towards the front of the key as possible but
>still within the flat part of the black plastic of keybed.
>3) Verify thickness and reduction in keydip while maintaining
>MIDI key triggering and velocity using white key 1st. Then do the
>same with a black key (adjacent white key must be removed to see).
>You want to go as thick as possible without impact the key's
>triggering ability.
>4) Remove all keys carefully (don't lose springs!)
>5) Cut long strip to length of keyboard and glue down (I used a
>hot glue gun). Be careful not to damage key contact dome area. I
>glued down from one end to the other working in on 12cm at a time
>6) Optional: Apply dampening gel to keybed hinge point and front
>guides. I put on a latex glove and worked the gel in with my fingers.
>7) Reassemble
>8) Verify that all keys trigger evenly
>
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>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>

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