I was just looking through some old digests and came up with a
couple of things to contribute.

   There was quite a bit of discussion about pouch sealing and
questions about what Aeolian used for the Duo-Art Pouches.  Someone I
knew swore on his deathbed (literally) to a friend that he knew the
secret Duo-Art sealant.  He said it was egg white.  Some time after
this I tried everything I had heard of as a candidate in some crude
accelerated ageing tests.  I treated one pouch with each of the test
materials, and tested for leakage with an ofifice type flow meter.  I
then stuck them all out in bright sunlight for a few days then crumpled
them vigorously for a random period of time then stuck them in a damp
place for a few days and retested them.  I tested the following:
Carter's rubber cement, Tandy rubber cement, flexible collodion, mink
oil, vacuum grease, egg white,  and maybe a few other things that I
don't remember.  Initially all were quite effective although I think
the mink oil and the vac grease were the best. After the torture test
the egg white had changed the least although it was the worst to begin
with.  I also remember that the egg white stiffened the leather the
least. I still used rubber cement (tire patch) after this test since it
seemed the safest, although I will probably switch to vacuum grease as
per Craig Brougher's advise. Mink oil is definitely out of the
question. Someone (maybe me) should try these tests again a little more
scientifically and with some more subjects and more destructive agents
such as ozone.  I would also be interested in having an original pouch
tested to see if they really were sealed with egg white.  Does anyone
know about the ageing properties of eggs and or flexible collodion?
I'm sure today's eggs are different from eggs gone bye but I know
people who raise real ones that are probably the same as the old ones.

   I also thought of a roll repair trick that I have been using for a
while. When cutting up the archival tapes into little pieces it can be
difficult to get them looking nice and not get them all stuck
together.  I made up a few combs out of brushed stainless steel with an
abrasive cut off wheel on a small precision table saw.  The tooth
spacing can be wideish for edge repairs with thin tape and closeer for
bridge repairs with heavy tape.  To use, take the tape off the backing
sheet and stick it on the comb. Then cut it with a sharp razor blade.
The pieces peel off easily without losing their adhesiveness since they
don't stick tightly to the brushed stainless.

   One last thing.  I have found a supply of cheap accurate vacuum
gauges that seem useful (at least to me) for player piano setup and
testing.  They are Dwyer Magnahelic gauges that normally cost about $40
to $100 depending on the range and where you buy them.  My local
surplus store (does not do mail order) has the following for $5 each:
0-8 wci, 0-10 wci, 0-60 wci ?, 0-160 wci ?  For $10 in a nice stainless
steel box: 0-.25 wci, 0-.5 wci.  All are new in the boxes except the
.25 and .5 wci gauges.  The ones I have agree quite well with an
inclined manometer I use for calibration.  If anyone is interested I
could pick some up (if they are still available) when I go there on
July 1.  I would charge a reasonable fee for shipping and schlepping.