Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info

Spring Fundraising Drive In Progress. Please visit our home page to see this and other announcements: https://www.mmdigest.com     Thank you. --Jody

MMD > Archives > December 2014 > 2014.12.17 > 01Prev  Next


Rebuilding the Ampico
By Tony Marsico

For Ron Evans,  There are suppliers listed on various places on the
Internet; John Tuttle at Player Care comes to mind,
http://www.player-care.com/ 

I don't know if I didn't have experience that I would start with the
valves on the stack.  I'd start with some of the peripherals, like the
sustain pneumatic, the crescendos, drawer units or some other units
other than the stack.  Some people say that you should rebuild a few
pumpers before you tackle a reproducing piano.

I don't want to discourage you; I'm saying that if you do some of the
other units, you can learn as you go, and it will inspire confidence
to tackle the stack.  Plus if you make a mistake with the smaller units
it's easier to fix.  You get a feel for the care it takes not to break
something.

Polish things like nipples and repaint units in original colors.  When
you are finished with the unit and it looks good and works well, it
will give you the confidence to go on.  Like when you do the primary
valves.  When you clean off the glue and want to drive the stem out of
the valve button (pouch board removed, of course) it takes a tap, tap,
tap with a dowel on the stem and when driving through the button a very
small drift punch.  If you tap too hard at that point you risk splitting
the valve.  Things like that.  You'll get a feel for working with the
units.  Also a good way to learn patience.

I hope your project comes out great.  Get a tuner/tech in there to
tune the piano and give you an idea what it will need if anything down
the road.

Just my thoughts.

Tony Marsico - rebuilding automatic instruments and pianos for 50 years.


(Message sent Thu 18 Dec 2014, 00:39:06 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Ampico, Rebuilding

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page