On the topic of moldy glue and stinking glue (hide or hot glue): There are
different kinds of hide or animal glue sold through supply houses.  The
best kind is the clear light amber and uniform colored granules. On the
first use, the glue is a light golden color.  On second and third uses,
it gets darker and darker.  The odor of it is not offensive.

There another which is inferior.  Its granules are much darker, less
uniform in color, melts into a darker color, and seems sometimes to be
"stringy", very aptly described in the last digest.  This doesn't smell
so good.  I threw it out.  I have a paper bag of granules with "Cooper's
Glue" written in pencil. Can't remember where I got it, but it is very
ideal as a hot glue in especially in the way you can work with it in
the pot over a long day.

The price of 1 pound of "ground glue" from APSCO, American Piano Supply
Co,. is $4.60  retail.  However if this is the darker granules and
"stinks" when prepared, it is not recommended.  Player Piano Co. sells
hide glue, I would expect theirs to be top quality.

One subscriber mentioned bellows glued up with plastic glue. If it is
working now don't worry. If it hasn't come apart by now, it shouldn't.
Plastic glue became popular in player piano rebuilding when nylon cloth
for pneumatics was introduced.  PVC-E was the glue of choice for that
cloth.  It found many other uses.  Some in the profession did use it
to glue on bellows cloth.  It was used because it passed the pull test
(if applied right) and gave a much longer working time than hot glue,
and was more predictable in consistency and setup. It is much easier
to use. It is very airtight in part because it is very flexible, but
tenacious at the same time.  It can be used to seal where shellac was
originally used. (Simplex valve covers for example).  It can be used
thinned to cover crumbling shellac. (Simplex valve wells)

For those interested in having their instruments restored in the
traditional way,  hot glue will be the only glue.  If fish glue was
used you have to know where.  Shellac was used as a sealant and an
adhesive in a few places.  Sealing wax or bees wax seems like it should
have had uses, but I have never seen it.

There is a trick or knack to hot glue.  It is thin for two reasons, it
is either a little too hot, or has a little too much water in it and thus
is not quite hot enough.  The water is always evaporating out of it, so
it is different in as little as 15 minutes. New glue seems to have more
of a range of thickness through different temperatures.  Old or re-heated
glue seems to melt at a higher temp, and is more easier to tell when it
needs thinning as opposed to more heat, and thins in a more predictable
manner.   Hot glue melted for the first time has different properties
than glue melted a second and third time.  Each time the glue is re-heated
and used, it seems to dry more brittle.  An old master and or experience
is the best teacher with hot blue.  If you like to cook you should like
working with hot glue.

I have had mold (but only a little) form on the surface of cold glue.
I have wiped it off with a wet paper towel and heated it up. Again if
the glue smells, I don't use it. Just start all over.  I try to mix it
so I have less than 1/4 cup of it when I am through.

Books --  The best literature I have seen on hot glue is in the 1911-1918
Piano Manufacturers Conference.  It was published by American Wire and
Steel, and sold as reprints through the piano supply houses.  However
I don't see it in the Schaff or APSCO  catalogue.  Which is distressing
because mine is misplaced.  The section on glue is a lecture by a manu-
facturer of glue,  detailing how it was made, the different grades, and
how it should be used, especially in pianos.

Someone asked about the Reblitz Piano Tuning and Rebuilding book.  It's
the best I have read.  Beginners can't go wrong, and for "seasoned pros"
it is an invaluable reference.  The term RTFM (Read The * Manual)
has popped up among computer users.  The Reblitz book _IS_ The "FM"  ;-)
The Reblitz Player Piano Rebuilding book has very good reports.  Another
good manual specific for player pianos are the Player Piano Company
catalogues through the !983-85 edition.  Now if they would just issue
reprints...

Of course you can't get much better than this forum, nay, you can't get
ANY better than this digest.

Richard Moody  ptt

 [ Editor's note: "F" always stands for the same thing...
 [ ;-)    :)    :-)    8-)    are all variations on smiley faces