-- non-subscriber, please reply to sender and MMD --

I am currently testing a batch of Ecsaine on a Chickering "Brown"
grand piano action of the 1880s, to replace the huge amount of original
buckskin.  The Ecsaine is more uniform, impervious (for now) to humidity
changes, very hard to stretch, etc.  Whether it would be any good for
player valves or gaskets I don't know.  Leather is also porous, so the
argument against Ecsaine leather on these grounds might not "hold water".
I'll build a test jig and tell you what I observe.

Pellethane is one of the two main materials considered for diaphragms
in Jarvik artificial hearts, but considered inferior in that application
because it has some liquid permeability.  (Better for gluing, though!)
The manufacturer was kind enough to send me some Pellethane membrane to
try making pouches from.  I will tell you how it goes.

Gordon Stelter
lclgcnp@yahoo.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]

 [ Pellethane is a trademark owned by Dow Chemical Company, applied
 [ to a variety of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers.  More at
 [ http://plastics.dow.com/plastics/na/prod/specialty/pellethane.htm 
 [ -- Robbie