One problem that seems to be common to old barrel pianos, and other
similar instruments, is the wooden drive gear that is usually fastened
to the end of the barrel.  This gear is turned by a metal worm gear as
the handle is cranked.  Eventually, the metal worm gear wears down the
center of the face of the wooden gear teeth.

Examination of these wooden gears shows that most, or maybe all, of
them are cut from a single piece of hardwood.  Like all woods, they
have a grain.  As the gear is turned, the wood grain rotates so that
the metal worm gear contacts the end grain, then the side grain, and
back to the end grain, etc.  Study of a worn wooden gear will usually
show that it is worn more on the side grain rather than the end grain.

Years ago, I had to have a replacement gear made for a barrel piano
that I owned.  A new gear was fashioned by Jim Spriggs of Maryland
(former MBS member, unfortunately, now deceased).  To solve this
problem, Jim constructed the new gear from eight pie-shaped pieces
of hardwood, fitted together.  In this way, on the finished gear,
the worm drive gear was always contacting end grain, thus solving
the wear problem.

A brilliant idea from a brilliant man and friend.

Bruce Miller
Issaquah, WA, USA