This note is intended primarily for Terry Smythe, but I have posted it
here because it may be of interest to others as well.

Terry, you wrote in yesterday's Digest that the "problem pump" that you
are currently rebuilding is from an Ampico grand piano of unknown date.
You may be able to date the pump within a month.

Most pumps in Ampico grand pianos have a date code stamped into the
casting.  This code, a three or four digit number, is presumed to be the
date of manufacture.  You will find the date code on the front of the
casting, in one of the corners.  The digits represent the month and year
without separators.  Thus "323" denotes March, 1923, and "1028" denotes
October, 1928.

Knowing the date may help you in your current endeavor, because you may
be able to learn something of interest about the problem bearings by
consulting bearing catalogs of the period.  I wish you the best of luck
in your efforts.

With best regards,

Wayne Stahnke