Mini Piano Keyboard

thingiverse

I am in the process of restoring a 1939 General Television and Radio model 534 radio. The cabinet of the radio is shaped like a grand piano, complete with plastic keyboard and pivoting lid. Unfortunately, the plastic keyboard is warped from the heat of the radio, and badly yellowed with age. So, I decided to see if I could print a new one. The most challenging aspect turned out to be how to make the dark lines between the keys. I tried paint, putty, and other options, but the pigment kept seeping into the surrounding plastic. The answer turned out to be to wrap a black threat around the keyboard in the grooves. Looks great! The other secret was to print the keyboard on a flat glass plate, which made it smooth and shiny. I was able to use the original black keys (photos of the keyboard in the piano), but I also decided to render the black keys and print them too (photos of the keyboard separate).