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 > April 1996 > 1996.04.14 > 06Prev  Next


Reply to Thomas Henderson: Rebuilding Advice
By Craig Brougher

Thomas Hendsen,

I saw your plea for help and thought maybe I could lend a hand. I tried your address and the letter was returned, so I'll just post it here. I am here on the internet, so you have a friend close by if you need one, not to mention lots of us here at AMD.

Your problem with the piano is the same as the rest of us. We get old and then we don't work very well. There is no way to adjust your way out of this one. The main problem, you will find, after you have replaced all the covers and diddled around with the rest of it, will be the valves, so you might as well plan on a full rebuild.

The reason is this: When the pouches push the valves up, they tend to stretch the leather valve disks which are being sucked down on one face while glued solidly to the valve poppet on the other side. As long as the vacuum cannot build up very much in an old player, not much damage can be done. But when everything else becomes tight again, those old dry-rotted leathers in the valves become very leaky after awhile, as a result of being stretched edgewise-- fluffed like a pillow.

Do you know how large a #70 drill bit is? About the diameter of a sewing needle. If each valve leaked only that much overall, the total effect would be a 1/4" drill hole right through your player. So you see, all it would take would be two or three "leakier than normal" rotted valves to completely disable the player (representing a sizeable portion of a 'half inch dia. hole) after you had gone to the trouble of recovering and patching bellows. Don't do it that way. I have never seen a player work that was done that way. It has never happened, and it never will. Rubber stuff on bellows is more trouble than it's worth, too. If it won't pump up hard and tight when no notes are playing, then sealing bellows will do no good at all.

The Player Piano Co in Wichita, KS 67202 has a catalog. You can order also by phone. 316-263-3241. They sell supplies. I don't suggest buying their valve leather. You can get just as good where you are. The pouches in an old themodist may be just fine. I always replace, but I realize you are on a budget. The glue you use should be their hot hide glue. Never NEVER use anything else, and you will be a happy camper. Animal hide glue is perfectly airtight when dry. Other forms of glue are not, neither are they repairable. I suggest you get a copy of Art Reblitz' book on Rebuilding the Player Piano, also. Good luck.

Craig Brougher

(my address may be changing soon. So watch for it in the Automatic Music Forum.


(Message sent Sat 13 Apr 1996, 21:28:45 GMT, from time zone GMT.)

Key Words in Subject:  Advice, Henderson, Rebuilding, Reply, Thomas

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