For sale: This is the perforator built by Wurlitzer for Edwin Welte
around 1912 or so.  It was a combination of Wurlitzer and Welte design.
I wish for this to go to a good home where it will be, at the very least
preserved and hopefully, some day, restored to operating condition.

In the 1960's it ended up in the clutches of Durrell Armstrong (Player
Piano Company, Wichita).  That "expletive deleted", butchered the machine
(okay, let's just say Durrell was not a good steward of this important
artifact of the age of mechanical music) in a very unsuccessful attempt
to convert it to punch a new type of player piano roll he had the
delusions of marketing.

I have spent considerable time studying the machine to determine
exactly what Durrell did to it in his despicable attempt to modify it
and I know, for the most part, what must be done to return it to close
to its original operating condition for perforating the 15-3/16" wide
[386 mm] Welte Philharmonic organ rolls.  There is evidence that, as
originally built, by changing out some of the parts it was used to also
punch the 11-1/4" wide Wurlitzer Autograph Piano rolls and Welte Black
Box Licensee format rolls.  Needless to say, it could also be properly
and carefully modified to punch other formats of rolls.

While there are original parts missing, and other parts that have been
modified to such an extent that new pieces should be machined, there is
still a lot of machinery there that would be very expensive to build new.
I am able to show and demonstrate exactly what Durrell (that "expletive
deleted") did and explain what needs to be done to restore it.

This is not a project for the faint of heart; the machine will require
much fortitude and determination (as well as financial means) to restore.
However, what is most important is that it is preserved, and restoration
rebuilding can wait for a future time.

I would be pleased to show it to interested parties and I am open to
offers for it.

Thanks,
Dave Krall
Hammond, Indiana
tel.: 1-219-932-2322

 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/16/08/27/160827_080156_100_3273.JPG 
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/16/08/27/160827_080156_100_3278.JPG