•Hi, A close friend of mine has a Mason & Hamlin upright T-100 Welte upright. Unfortunately it has stopped playing and it has been suggested that the cut-off valve is stuck. Unfortunately he doesn't know where to find the cutoff valve or where to start looking. If anyone has an upright T-100 and cou...

•Hello MMD, I just have a quick question in regards to the nickel-plated tubing that is welded into the nipples that stick out of the stack front board tiers. A few of them are a little loose and can be twisted slightly in the wood. I heard that I should be using epoxy to glue these back in. But, I'...

•-- non-subscriber, please reply to sender and MMD -- One of our Santa figures has obviously broken a spring inside. Can anyone tell me how to remove the top to check out the problem, or direct me to any type of repair manual? I would appreciate any help. Tom Jaworski

•Hi Folk, I would like to introduce myself: Andy (or re-introduce myself as I was a MMD subscriber back in 1996(!) until a complicated house move down to Devon in 1997 when I unsubscribed). I remember communicating with Jody and Robbie back then. Then I had two Aeolian player pianos (not Duo-Art) bo...

•Hello MMD, I was wondering if anyone can tell me the type of metal that a transmission frame is made of? In my dismantling process, I have broken off a piece, and I'm going to need to get it welded back on. I don't think it's cast aluminum, but I can't be sure. The player is a Otto Higel from 1915...

•I have used J-B Weld, sold at auto supply stores, on some broken castings with success. Welding the pot metal, that old metal parts in a player piano are usually made with, takes a _really_ expert welder and you need a spare part because it will probably be ruined with a "I did the best I could" ex...

•[ Joel Gautier wrote in 070126 MMDigest: > I don't think it's cast aluminum, but I can't be sure. > The player is a Otto Higel from 1915; ... Joel, The frame is made of pot metal, almost as bad [to repair] as Ampico frames. Unfortunately there are not nearly as many Otto Higel players out there so ...

•Repairing zinc die-castings (Zamak, or more commonly pot metal) can be a major problem. I have had some success using industrial epoxy and a brass or aluminum plate bolted on each side. The only other option would be to use the old piece as a plug and make a mold. A home made gas fired furnace will...

•Joel, I've successfully repaired several Higel transmission frames and other intricate pot metal fittings in the past without resorting to welding or further damage. When the break is clean (and it usually is as they tend to snap in our own hands, drat the luck!) I fit the pieces together and ponde...

•Hi! I have seen repeatedly on the television a half-hour commercial for something called "Alumiloy". It is designed to be used with a common propane torch and really seems to be the ticket for damaged aluminum or pot metal fabrications. It comes in rods. The ad really is impressive in what is shown...

•Alumiweld has been around for years and years, originally on the carnival circuit and then the old car show circuit along with the old tractors, etc. I know one of the originators of the demonstrations stands, from Waterford, Michigan. I have used Alumiweld for years, and have had good results with...

•I looked up "alumiloy" on the internet and found it to be superconducting cables for Hi-Fi. I eventually found that the product Mr. Hodge is referring to is actually "alumaloy" with an "a" in the middle instead of an "i". The web site I found it on is http://www.aluminumrepair.com/ The specific pro...

•I would like it to be clear that I don't know anything about or have used the product at the web site listed by the editor [www.alumiweld.com], so I can't say that it is the same product. The only product I have worked with is the A-16 rod. It could be the same or it could be different. I do not kn...

•I have a tracker bar with a broken nipple. It looks like the row is set into lead. Is there a way to solder a new nipple or repair one broken just above the leading? Or does the lead have to be melted and the old nipple removed with a new one resealed? And who does this? Regards, Jon Page ...

•Hi All, I've had two experiences with soldering in 'extra' nipples to a trackerbar. In both cases, it was an auto-sustain hole that was added, so it was away from the main note nipples. Still, the immediate problems were (a) getting the area cleaned and fluxed so the solder would stick quickly (b) ...

•I clearly don't know quite what I'm envisioning here, but as I read the discussion about resoldering the tracker bar I was wondering if the nipple was essentially a cylinder and thus whether it would be ever worth considering placing it into the chuck of an electric drill, placing it into its home ...

•Hi, I assume the original query applies to a dislodged nipple. I have done a few of these over the years; it's not a task that should be undertaken by anyone who has little or no soldering experience. However, having said that, this is how I tackled the problem of a broken nipple from the middle of...

•I also had an experience attaching a nipple to a tracker bar. The problem started when I was removing the old tubing and getting it prepared for new tubing. One nipple broke off. Apparently the nipple was not too-well soldered originally. Not being a soldering expert, I was very skeptical about usi...

•Ref. 070208 MMDigest, Acetylene Flame Soldering (Spencer Chase) I hope you are using the proper ventilation when you are heating zinc and zinc alloys and galvanized sheet as it is very easy to get zinc poisoning from the fumes. Die casters had problems with it in the early days. The torch you are d...

•Hi, I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned using "Tix Solder" for this job. Tix is a very strong solder (4000+ psi) that melts at about 275 degrees F., much lower temperature than ordinary solder. Tix iridium solder was invented in the 1940s by a fellow who was making jewelry. He wanted to add som...