•There are two ways to deal with a broken clock mainspring. I know this is a musical box movement, but they're functionally identical. One way is to replace it, which involves measuring its thickness. Generally they're on the order of several thousandths of an inch thick, so you'll need a micrometer...

•I just purchased a Stella 17.5-inch disc music box with lead corrosion that's going to need some repairs. My question is: can it be repaired if all the lead weights are completely corroded and crumbling? If so, what restorer would you recommend and what approximately will it cost? Is there a public...

Darrell Clarke asks about duo-art accordion covering material. I think that medium weight pouch leather is the only material to use. It is supple and is quiet when it moves. Cotton cloth or Bilon makes annoying crinkling noises which can be disturbing at low playing levels. To eliminate stretching a...

I was very interested to read Ron Schmuck's description of how he got the stubs of broken-off woodscrews out of his organ works. I guess everyone who has pulled a few player actions apart has experienced the sickening feeling of a rusted-in woodscrew breaking off in situ. If they look like giving tr...

John Phillips had the same technique I have often used, myself to fix damaged wood screws. But I also have a few more I'll chip in. A really slick way to fix threads that are weakening but will still hold to a degree is to first spray the screw with mold release. Next, soak the screw hole with Hot S...

Terry Smythe was asking in regard to the removal of epoxy on tracker bar nipples. I have done similar things, not on tracker bars, but on other parts in which epoxy was used. This might help solve the problem. It might also help solve the problem with valves which stay down too long, as a little bit...

Thanks to a posting on last Thursday's MMD, I purchased some wonderful rolls out of a huge collection in Arlington, VA. Among the rolls I purchased were several "Pictorolls" -- theme music for accompanying silent movies. One of these rolls has moisture-caused wrinkles in the first 10 feet of the rol...

Paper buckles, not when moistened, but when the moistened area has dried again. Why? It's as though moistening the paper releases internal forces, allowing the surface area to grow. Then it bulges slightly, and causes ciphers at the tracker bar. I've used a steam-iron cautiously to "tame the music"...

Thank you, John Wolff, for looking into the White Spirit nomenclature. I had obtained the 'phone number for Esso Technical enqiries and was going to pester them this morning, but fortunately I read the Digest first. Perhaps we can lay the subject's, er, 'spirit' to rest? So how about we discuss gumm...

Two years ago at the Union IL swap meet I purchased a used 20-note Deleika monkey/grinder organ, the style that should go on a small cart. It's in fine-looking shape and beautifully built inside, looking almost new inside and out. I have a few rolls and have Hal O'Rourke's latest catalog of music so...

Mike Knudsen asked about the Deleika 20-note organ. The low pressure in the reservoir indicates a definite leak in the system. There should be lots of reserve wind while playing the 20-note rolls. Start by testing each section, pumps, valves, etc., and determine exactly where the leak is before doin...

Mike, You posted this question regarding repairing Deleika 20-Key Organ: > However, the organ has two related problems. First, the bellows > reservoir is inadequate -- you have to crank at a pretty fast tempo to > avoid sound gaps as the feeder goes through top and bottom dead center. > As a musicia...

Mike Knudsen writes regarding his 20-note Deleika organ: > Question 1: Are my bellows leaking,.... > Question 2: ...The [single bourdon] are voiced too loud for the solo > pipes, and a bit too "tubby" also..... So I'd like to throttle them > back somehow. ... my ideal solution would be to replace th...

Finally a topic for me :) Mike Knudsen wrote: > Two years ago at the Union IL swap meet I purchased a used 20-note > Deleika monkey/grinder organ, the style that should go on a small cart. > It's in fine-looking shape and beautifully built inside, looking almost > new inside and out. I have a few ro...

Many thanks to the several private and public responders to my 20-note Deleika organ queries. The overwhelming consensus is that I have a leak in my bellows or chest, probably a cracked end grain or cloth slipped off a board end, and I must find and fix that before anything else. I timed it last nig...

Mike Knudson wrote: > Many thanks to the several private and public responders to my 20-note > Deleika organ queries. The overwhelming consensus is that I have a leak > in my bellows or chest, probably a cracked end grain or cloth slipped off > a board end, and I must find and fix that before anythi...

Spencer Chase, I was rereading your advice of about a month ago, and thought I'd comment on my experiences: Recently, I overhauled a Rolmonica and found exactly the things you commented about, with the addition of a warped wood core. I filed the "high" side and filled the low side with a sealer in o...

•Dear Jody (and all the faithful subscribers), I recently quoted and was just made aware that I won a restoration bid on a 1962 Hardman Duo. It's got the plastic valve block assemblies and few adjustments for lost motion and is an altogether-poor excuse for a player action (compared to all the cleve...

•Gary Rasmussen wrote: > The keys...were GROSSLY yellow. I don't think I have seen many pianos > this bad. ... I tried everything to whiten them ..ended up sanding them > down, ... then buffed them out. Please permit me to contribute my own experience, as an employee of a pipe organ building firm wh...

•Eugene Rogers wrote: > This may seem like a silly question, but I am trying to mend some > torn rolls and was wondering should the tape be placed on the back > side of the roll paper or the top side. Never use the back side. I did so decades ago when I first got into players but they are now unplay...