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MMD > Archives > July 2003 > 2003.07.24 > 03Prev  Next


Pratt-Read Roll Tracking Problem
By Michael Hamilton

I have just received my grandmother's player piano, a 1917 Altenburg
(mfg. by WP Haines) with a Pratt-Read player.  I got it working with
the foot pumps with a few repairs, and it does work pretty well.

Everything was working just great until a few days ago.  It just won't
keep the rolls on track anymore.  I had thought the piano didn't have
a tracking mechanism, but today I found it under the spool box.  As
found, it is in no condition to operate, so I doubt that it was, even
when the rolls tracked fine.

It seems that the take-up spool is not the problem, but that the problem
is the top spool.  I'm guessing this because even with the greatest
tracking adjustment possible to the take-up spool, the sustaining holes
hardly get over the opening.  Is there a way to adjust the roll spool
just a 1/16th of an inch to the left?

I am also curious to know the function of a lever behind the take-up
spool.  Is that an adjustment for the pneumatic tracker?

Thank you for any help or suggestions,

Michael Hamilton


(Message sent Thu 24 Jul 2003, 17:27:42 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Pratt-Read, Problem, Roll, Tracking

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