[ Luke Myers wrote in 171231 MMDigest:

> This is what a true restoration is like.  Like Art Reblitz says,
> anything short of that is not restored.
>
> Repairing is really not anything glamorous, and too often can lead to
> making a player piano look much worse than before.  "Well, I repaired
> that player," you say.  After you depart, the customer finds that you
> used Loc-Tite and automotive tarp material to make "airtight" bellows,
> Elmer's glue on practically every gasket, and JB-Weld to make
> absolutely sure that the new tracker bar tubing won't come loose!

I repair antique clocks and the occasional music box.  I disassemble
and clean the movement, polish and, if necessary, rebush each bearing,
polish any other parts that might benefit (pallets, for one), reassemble,
adjust everything, and lubricate with the best oil I can find.

Then I polish the brass parts on the case, and the pendulum bob, and
reglue any loose joints on the case (hide glue apparently isn't as
permanent as we'd like).  Assembly pins are new -- brass or steel, as
required.

So, is this a rebuild, a restoration, or a repair?  For though there
certainly are repair people who do thoroughly horrible work, most do
not.  I've read Art Reblitz' book on piano tuning and repair and found
nothing that implies that nothing will do but a frame-up restoration.

Mark Kinsler