Jody,

Congrats on the addition to the family & the continued good work here.
You are welcome either to use or file the following as you see fit.

Many MMD correspondents have espoused a feeling of responsibility to
posterity in the restoration of instruments that is reminiscent of the
oath of Hippocates ("First, do no harm"). One could only wish that all
of those attempting rebuilding would hang that admonition above their
workbenches. A while ago, I agreed to rebuild a Standard player unit.
It was only when I opened the secondary valve chest that I found every
valve plate had been sealed against leakage with a thick ring of
carpenter's glue.

After days of peeling, prying, chipping, snapping & sanding, it seemed
like time to tackle a simple job; recovering the motor pneumatics. But
each one was elevated about 1/16" from the mounting surface, held there
by a blob of slightly pliable white stuff, apparently bathtub calking,
applied directly over filaments & chunks of pneumatic boards left
adhering to the surface. Despite great care, only 1 of the 5 pneumatics
could be removed without considerable damage. More of that nasty stuff
can be seen protruding from beneath the striker pneumatics. There is
also red rubber glop & gray epoxy sprinkled about, perhaps a
post-rebuilding attempt to reduce leakage. The owner says it took a lot
of effort to pump...

Next time, I'll be more careful about accepting an "easy" job. The
previous rebuilder? I'm reminded of the experience of Mark Twain, who
after being sold a bucking horse described as gentle, said that he
would gladly postpone all other amusements to attend the funeral of the
man who sold it to him.

Stan Rhine