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Restoring the Reproduco Player Action
By Nicholas Simons

May I suggest the following:

1. After removing the crimp wings you could thread the wire with a
suitable die in order to refit with leather or plastic nuts.  This will
give adjustment, rather than using speed-nuts, which once on cannot be
adjusted.

2. The gaskets should be remade from the correct thickness of leather.
Make yourself a cardboard pattern to draw round.  Using suitable wad
punches and a sharp knife you should be able to make a set in a
morning.

3. The glued joint in each pneumatic block may be able to be loosened
by placing the block in a micro-wave oven in order to heat up the
original glue.  Always rebuild with a similar glue and never a modern
chemical glue.  Think about the next restorer.

4. If the top valve seat is slightly distorted it may be possible to
accommodate this by replacing the original annular gasket with a fresh
pliable leather one.  Ensure that you have the correct valve travel if
you change anything in this area.  If this is not possible you could
seal the periphery after assembly, with a small bead of burnt shellac.

Overall, this looks to be a straightforward job.

Nicholas Simons, GB



(Message sent Tue, 1 Nov 2016 11:55:04 +0000 (GMT) , from time zone +0000.)

Key Words in Subject:  Action, Player, Reproduco, Restoring

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