•Often the "extended notes" which are so prevalent in Ampico rolls cause the paper to be weak, and long tears can occur through the chain-bridge perforations. These are difficult to repair because a tape reinforcement will cause that note to repeat. In desperate cases, go ahead and make the repair i...

•Hi Eliyahu and MMD. I have two punches, one for 88-note and one for 65-note rolls, that produce a strip of iron-on tape about 7 cm long, with three side-by-side rows of holes punched in it (two rows in the case of the 65n punch). I separate the rows with a scalpel. The iron-on tape is called Crompt...

•John Phillips refers to using a Teflon sheet for iron-on roll repair, particularly bridges. What is this "Teflon sheet"? Paul Eggert Fountain Hills, Arizona [ John wrote in MMDigests 991124 & 000313: "These days I make my [ bridging tape out of an iron-on tissue. It's a bit fiddly to use [ because ...

•-- non-subscriber, please reply to sender and MMD -- I started using my reproducing Ampico baby grand about this time last year after a ten-year hiatus. I found that many of my rolls had problems, the worst of which was "bridge disease". I found an old article by Tom Lear in MMD of 2000.01.24.12 wh...

•I wrote an article about roll splits a year ago and re-read it and still feel this the best permanent way [031106 MMDigest, Repairing Folded Music Rolls]. If one inserts a mesh on the top or underneath the paper roll when one rolls it up it will cause a slight lump and this will become part of the ...

•In July of this year I finally got my Dynavoice back on the piano and played some rolls. I was pleased to find that the mesh tape repaired rolls that had been rolled up for several years played just fine. The mesh was still pliable and did not cause any problems going over the bar. For others wishi...

•In response to Paul Eggert's query, a Teflon ironing sheet is a thin flexible sheet made out of woven Teflon. The ones I have are about 30 cm by 20 cm, or 12 inches by 8 inches. These sheets are used by sewing enthusiasts and patchworkers for applying applique patches to whatever. They cost a few d...

•In response to the query raised about barrel piano repairs, many years ago I helped restore one which involved, amongst other things, a complete restringing. It turned out very well but I later learnt from a professional piano technician that it is advisable to use one gauge higher string size for ...

•I would disagree with the higher number gauge wire for a barrel piano. I have restored several of these and I always use the original size wire sizes. I had this problem demonstrated dramatically when I got one big hulking Hupfeld barrel piano with the treble strings all replaced with a larger size...

•Points noted from D.L. Bullock. I may not have been entirely clear when I mentioned about piano wire gauge; I meant that apparently one uses a _smaller_ wire gauge than the original, not bigger! I also agree with him that invariably one has to tune to much lower than A=440, and often it is about A=...

•[ Bill Chapman wrote in 050118 MMDigest: >> Several keys are twisted making the instrument unplayable. However, >> when the weather gets good and damp, they improve but not enough to >> make it useful. Bill, From your description, I find it difficult to make suggestions. (Not enough detail) If it i...

•One repair I heard of for warped keys is to secure the key in a vise, then hang a clamp, Vise-Grip pliers or the like in such a way as to twist the key straight. You then carefully play a hot air gun or torch on the key. Not sure if it works, but it's worth a try. Philip Jamison West Chester, Penns...

•I'm in the process of repairing a barrel piano in which the barrel has some small cracks. They are not bad, but I'd like to fill the cracks and replace a few pins which are loose. I've never done this before, so have a couple of questions: 1. What have others successfully used to fill barrel cracks...

•Hello fellow MMD'ers, I had the extreme joy today of inheriting my great grandmother and grandfather's roll collection. It arrived in a giant box from UPS. The family back East got wind that I owned a couple of players and all a sudden the rolls from a past generation's family player piano surfaced...

•Hi Chris and Y'all, Glad to hear that you inherited your grandparents player piano roll collection. I love to hear that these things stay in a family. Sorry to hear that the rolls are not all in the best of shape. I put out a guide to roll repairs that I provide free with purchase of my document on...

•-- non-subscriber, please reply to sender and MMD -- Dear MMD Advisors: I recently acquired a Musical Casket organette, with 14 notes, that doesn't play. The machine came with eight rolls but won't play a note. Here's my observations: (1) When a roll is attached, I can crank it accordingly but no s...

•Repair of organettes such as the "Musical Casket" can be done by Walter Moore, in Dallas, Texas; tel. 1-214-348-1749. He specializes in organettes and has repaired several of mine. Marvin Polan New York

•Greg, Although I don't own a "Musical Casket" like yours, I can still make some educated guesses about your instrument: The "large rectangular opening" you mention is where a manually operated swell shutter would have originally gone. The wood blocks are part of its hinge mechanism, possibly spring...

•-- non-subscriber, please reply to sender and MMD -- We have a small music box that needs help. There is a bent wire that attaches to a pin and stops and starts the regulator. This wire fell out and we don't know which way it goes to replace it. Can anyone help? John Kinberg

•-- non-subscriber, please reply to sender and MMD -- I recently repaired a "Farmer in the Dell" Mattel revolving metal toy musical box. I tried the suggestion to use fabric glue on the turning shaft, but was unsuccessful; the glue rubbed off quite quickly. I then cut a piece of double-side adhesive...