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
MMD > Archives > February 2015 > 2015.02.26 > 05Prev  Next


Neoprene Valve Facings in Post-War Aeolians
By Bill Maguire

[ Ref. 150224 MMDigest, Sponge Neoprene for Valve Seats

It's well known that the neoprene valve facings leak on newer Aeolian
players with plastic valve blocks.  The neoprene gets harder with
age and they can warp.  If you place your finger to cover the top hole
of the plastic valve block, the pneumatic will often close, indicating
valve leakage.

When these newer Aeolian players get hard to pedal or the vacuum motor
cannot overcome leakage, the vast majority of the problem is still
going to be the striker pneumatics, in the majority of instances.  Unless
you hear air badly leaking from the valves with your stethoscope, the
pneumatics are mostly the issue.

I test how stiff the pneumatics are and poke my finger into the highest
and lowest pneumatics to see how strong the cotton mesh is.  I close
the pneumatics and listen for a "crunching sound" indicating the rubber
coating is pretty much "done".  If I hear that "crunching sound," air
can now leak through these pneumatics as if there were _never_ any
rubberized coating.

My point is, modern Aeolian players can tolerate the small amount of
leakage at the neoprene valve facing.

Bill Maguire


(Message sent Thu 26 Feb 2015, 05:38:43 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Aeolians, Facings, Neoprene, Post-War, Valve

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