To the MMD,  This is in reply to the various postings lately about
using RTV in the rebuilding of antique player pianos.  I am sorry to
say that some of my first player piano rebuild jobs back in the 1970's
were done with yellow glue, out of ignorance.  Luckily, wise counsel
straightened me out fairly quickly.

Since then I have had the un-pleasure of dealing with pianos repaired
and rebuilt with yellow glue, RTV, and various other adhesives.  All
were a royal pain, and some, as Mr. Bullock eloquently noted in
yesterdays MMD, ended up in the dumpster.  The users of RTV claim that
the instruments rebuilt this way work great, and do come apart (where
yellow glue rebuilds do not easily come apart).  What they don't say
is another rebuild is still a total pain because nothing sticks to the
RTV'ed surface.  Instruments rebuilt with RTV will likely never be
rebuilt again.

An example of original instruments that were really not designed and
manufactured to be rebuilt are the Gulbransens, and a few others with
similar construction.  These instruments worked great when new --
like I'm sure the RTV'd rebuilt instruments probably do -- but are very
difficult to rebuild -- like the RTV'd instruments will be someday.
As a result, Gulbransens are either more likely to be gutted or require
a _lot_ more money to rebuild, like the RTV rebuilt instruments today
will be someday.

In more recent years, there have been automatic musical instruments
with pneumatics designed and manufactured using plastic, aluminum,
RTV and etc.  Since those instruments were designed this way, I have
no problem restoring them in the same way.  Instruments manufactured
with wood need be re glued in the way that they were originally
designed, so that when the rubberized and leather materials wear out
again, it can be rebuilt again.

I believe that those who take on the task of rebuilding antique
automatic music instruments have a responsibility to rebuild them
in a way that they can be rebuild again.  Out of ignorance, some will
rebuild with other materials such as yellow glue (as I did) and RTV.

If you are reading this email, you are now no longer ignorant on this
issue.  Rubber and leather _will_ wear out again.  Please always
rebuild instruments in a way that sometime in the future, the instrument
you are working can be rebuilt again.  For the most part, this means
using original materials, such as hide glue for pneumatics, wherever
possible.  Please *don't use RTV!*

Gary Rasmussen
Mason, Ohio