Sub-title: "Which Way Is Up?"

Hi everyone.  Firstly I am reminded of the scene in Apollo 13 when
Michael Collins is maneuvering the command module ready for docking
with the lunar module prior to their return to earth.  As they are all
spinning every which way in space he says to Neil Armstrong -- "Hold
on, you're upside down," to which the comes the laconic reply "Well,
somebody's upside down."

Albert, here is my recent experience.  I have just re-faced two sets
of inside valves and, like yours, the originals were fuzzy side up on
metal seats.  Using a nice basil leather I tried it shiny side glued.
The glue took okay but I suspect might have weakened under stress
conditions.  The action was not as tight as I would have expected.
I then removed them again (yes, I am prepared to learn the hard way!)
and re-faced the valves with the same leather but shiny side up.

This time the suction was noticeably stronger.  On this basis I then
re-faced a George Rogers player with thin pouch leather -- tan skiver --
and again glued the fuzzy side, with the shiny side to the metal seats.
I was delighted with the action.

On the matter of gluing shiny sides Art Reblitz is unequivocal.  To
quote: "... at some point they _will_ fail".  I believe him.

Roger Waring
The Pianola Workshop
Solihull
UK