•Hi! Here at http://www.r.lpmm.ca/MMD/A58411/index.html are the pictures of an old 2-airs small music box from an unknown maker. Serial number A58411 is stamped on the bed plate. It has indeed suffered a "run." I think it could be possible to repair it. The spring is in good condition, the Geneva st...

•[ Ref. Robert Patoine in 121216 MMDigest ] Hi Robert, You appear to have a 2/50 note movement, i.e., 2 tunes and a 50-tooth comb. The tune card stock showing the two airs would seem to indicate a Reuge movement, as Reuge used almost the exact same art work design on their movements during the 1960s...

•I came up with a new way of repairing rolls that I think is worth mentioning. I finally got a roll that I wanted to hear for several years, and as I played it, I realized the roll had been slashed while it was playing, and now it was unplayable. If a razor or knife had been used my job would have b...

•Hello MMDers, A happy and a very musical New Year to all. I am going to attempt to repair some older piano rolls that I have. These are a mix of QRS, Duo-Art and perhaps other brands. I was told by some folks when I asked about their value or importance some time ago that they were not really valua...

•I am gathering supplies and information to regulate the reproducing action on our Ampico B. A few of the keys depress but don't quite play the string using a roll and I am hoping the problem is either a piano action or reproducing action regulation issue. In any case, I'd like to diagnose the probl...

•Repairing rolls takes a delicate touch and a bit practice. I know that a number of MMDers have created "repair tables" with spools on either end and a work surface (sometimes flip-able) in the middle. For the occasional repair however, it is possible and effective to make repairs without this. Repa...

•Hi Folks, David Greene asked [130101 MMDigest] about obtaining a gauge to use while regulating a reproducing piano. While it is easy to make and use a water gauge using plastic tubing from a 'big box' [hardware] store, it can be messy and it's easy to make a mistake in reading it (although it is qu...

•> Hello, I am looking for a replacement original Reuge 28-note > movement for a John Peel Musical Jug. ... The new 18-note movements > playing "John Peel" are not suitable for this jug. Dear George, Reuge stopped making 28-note movements many years ago. The only place you are likely to find a repla...

•Hi, Does anyone know how to recover the plastic Ragtime pneumatics? What is the material used and what glue works? Thanks, Damon O'Donoghue Daylesford, Australia

•[ Damon O'Donoghue wrote in 130131 MMDigest: > Hi, Does anyone know how to recover the plastic Ragtime pneumatics? > What is the material used and what glue works? I rebuilt a plastic unit by using "Crazy Glue". It was the only glue that held the material to the plastics. Nick Yengle ...

•The DeBence Museum has been given a Cremona C which we have repaired to playing condition, with one step left to go: the hammer butt hinge felt bushings are badly worn so that sometimes a hammer strikes an adjacent string. The hammers are not great but will do for now. We need to find someone who w...

•I just finished repairing the internal mechanics on a Charles Bruguier singing bird box; it was a 10-hour effort. There are only a handful of pictures in fairly expensive books detailing how these work, and no videos. I made a video demonstrating how the head turning bird works with a cutaway view ...

•Troy Duncan writes: > I just finished repairing the internal mechanics on a Charles > Bruguier singing bird box; ... I made a video ... Holy Cow! I didn't realize just how tiny this bird was until you picked it up half way through the video -- this is in the realm of watchmaker work! Nice video, th...

•[ Rick Inzero wrote in 130719 MMDigest: > Holy Cow! I didn't realize just how tiny this bird was until > you picked it up half way through the video! I was initially very hesitant with taking the bird totally apart due to the age, small size and complexity of the mechanism. However, I acquired this...

•Troy Duncan has done a good job on the head turning bird. I have had the same problem several times but usually excessive Evostick glue or similar was used, which is easier to clean off than Super Glue. I even had one bird filled with body filler and no mechanism. I have repaired many Bruguier boxe...

•Dear Friends at MMD, I am trying to help a friend find a schematic and parts list for the 65-key MIDI box for a Alan Pell Organ. I suspect a driver chip cooked when newly supplied traps were plugged into his box. After locating a replacement chip on this side of the pond it still doesn't work. Woul...

•Hi, It might be of help to Walter Kehoe's friend if they will contact Alan Pell direct at http://www.alanpell.com/ or phone on +44 1406 330279 Alan Pell's web site invites contact by email to ask questions or seek advice but this can only be done via the web site. Incidentally, he has a DVD for sal...

•Once again, I plan to attend the upcoming MBSI annual convention, this year in the Chicago area. If you have questions, wish to discuss these delightful whistling devices, or have one that needs attention, contact me during the convention or see me at my tables during the mart. If you have somethin...

•Hi all, A friend has a upright piano with the Simplex player mechanism. A part in the tracker mechanism broke and then she lost the pieces! I want to find a replacement or make one so I need some advice. This mechanism is pictured in Art Reblitz's book, "Player Piano Servicing and Rebuilding", page...

•Pat, I have two different versions of this "fish line" tracker system (which in my opinion works very well when in good condition), so I have stuff to reference to "in hand." As far as I know there is no "centering disk" as you describe. Instead, the shaft that the "paddle board" is on has a narrow...