Hello,  I have just acquired a 1928 Stroud Duo-Art player piano.  All
the large bellows need recovering so I started in on it and now the
player assembly is on my workbench.  I have ordered both books by Art
Reblitz (one on piano repair and one on player piano repair) but only
the piano book has arrived so far.

I figured since it is 80 years old and since I have to go into it that
I will just do the entire thing.  The hoses were as brittle as pretzels
and they will of course be replaced, too.  I am documenting my every
move with digital photos for future reference.

The striker pneumatics look okay and don't appear to have any leaks
but they will be recovered anyway.  The pouch leathers are intact and
operate the valves okay but when I scraped one off and pulled on it,
it tore like tissue paper -- rotted, I guess.  So they are also being
replaced.

The strikers were put on with pouch leather as a gasket and came off
as an assembly really easy.  I may use cheesecloth with them when
putting them back.  Any thoughts about that?

Also, when dishing the new pouches, couldn't I just warm up the pouch
material so it expands a little, then use my finger and very lightly
touch the center until it bottoms on the pouch well as I glue it down?
Then when the leather cools and shrinks it will rise just above the
bottom of the well.  I have a 1/8" well so if I allow for the thickness
of the pouch (0.008") then I will have about 1/32" under the pouch when
it shrinks, if I calculate right.

I know all this will probably be in Mr. Reblitz's book.  I am just
anxious to get started I guess.  Thanks for letting me bend your ears.
Any thoughts or advice for a first time player piano rebuild will be
greatly appreciated.

Kirk Gibson