Ed Gaida's letter in Mechanical Music Digest (99.05.14) finally
prompted me to write about this.  I rebuilt a Farrand a couple of years
ago (see no. 39 in Player Piano Co.'s Player Action Identification) and
I had to replace all the pouches.  The idea of cutting 528 circular
gaskets by hand did not appeal to me.

A neighbor's son makes steel rule dies.  I had him make me a set of 5
different dies that would cut the inside and outside of the round
gaskets at the same time.  Each one was in a wood block 3 inches
square.  I made a steel holder with a 3/4-inch "handle" that you could
hit with a hammer.  They work just like an arch punch, only bigger.
It is a bit unhandy but it beats an X-acto knife all to heck!

The place that made the dies is: Gordons Dies North, Box 90, Trego,
Wisconsin 54888 phone (715)-635-2077.  He can make a die in any shape
you want and I find his accuracy to be great.

If someone has to re-pouch a Farrand and wants to borrow my dies I am
willing to loan them.

John A. Dewey
jdent@soltec.net