MMDers,  As far as supplies go, I have been in touch with Michael
Madeira of Leather Supply House.  I have in my supply drawers a little
bit of everything on that line that PPCo has made and I have just sent
him some samples and other information.  He has die punching machinery
that could make all the gaskets, fiber discs and so forth.

He is not familiar with the player piano trade but he is enthusiastic
about supplying materials.  I urge anyone who has some ideas of what
they would like to see happen to please contact him.

  Mike Madeira
  Leather Supply House
  345 Hazel Avenue
  Garwood, NJ  07027 USA
  tel.: 1-908-389-1000
  fax:  1-908-789-0647
  email: mike@leathersupplyhouse.com
  http://www.leathersupplyhouse.com/ 

At my end I am planning to expand my woodworking operation.  I have
quite a bit of experience copying stacks and other components.  If worse
comes to worst I can always modify or replace stacks that can't be
rebuilt for lack of parts.

When I was just starting out rebuilding I met this guy that had a
collection of "Fortune" magazines.  I was looking through them and one
caught my eye: it was a 1934 issue which had a big spread on Steinway
and it's recovery (at Aeolian's expense) from the depression.

There was a small side article in the back of the magazine which
interested me the most. I still remember the first sentence to this
day: "Though the piano industry is making a slow recovery, and will
survive, the manufacture of player pianos will not."

The article went on to mention QRS, how it had dwindled down from
a giant to "one dingy factory in Buffalo ... managed by a black man."
(I am assuming this is J.L. Cook.)

Despite this "death certificate" from Fortune Magazine, the player
industry downsized a great deal but it did survive, so I have confidence
that the rebuilding trade will make it through.

Brian Thornton
Short Mountain Music Works
Woodbury, Tennesee
http://www.shortmountainmusic.com/