Hi All,  Are we up for some beginner player piano rebuilding questions?
I need some advice regarding the secondary valve board used in an
Angelus player, and in particular the pouch board.

This is my first restoration, a process I am finding endlessly fascin-
ating.  I was originally motivated to rebuild our player to please my
wife, figuring if it made a noise when I was finished I had "done the
job".  Now I find myself developing a reverence for this machine built
from wood and leather, I wish to do my best to preserve it.  Reading
this digest, Piano Roll Digest, MMD archives and the available books,
I have come to realize there are standards I must meet.

I have replaced the secondary valve leathers.  This was accomplished by
replacing the wooden lower half of the valve stem retainer with metal
replacements from the Player Piano Co.  These are essentially collars
with set screws.  I snugged these up to hold the top valve seat against
the top valve stem "stop" - which I have not adjusted.  I have since
read about setting the valve travel - measured in thousandths of an
inch.  A far cry from the "looks like a sixteenth" measurement I took.
Am I in trouble?  I do feel that the travel is the same as it was and
the valve does seal at both surfaces.

I recovered the continuous pouch board.  Now that was tricky for
this novice.  Looking at my work is causing me some concern regarding
workmanship.  Each pouch has dish, some a little more than others, but
all have enough to allow the full closing of the valve.  The sad part
is that in addition each pouch has a wrinkle in it.  They do disappear
easily and completely when I apply suction (by mouth through a tube).
Is this acceptable?

Am I a few notes short of a full keyboard?   ; )

Dana Harrold