I usually don't write this much but sometimes a subject just hits home.
I like the idea that the tech info ends up in the Archives so I don't
mind going on about that.

In response to the question about the Staib-Abendshein piano action.
I remember seeing a Lauter with this action in it about 28 years ago.
I was so new in the game I did not get involved with this piano.

There used to be many restorers full and part time in New Jersey, and
so through the years many of the other restorers would tell me about
finding these pianos.  There was no reason to restore this type of
piano at that time because players were plentiful.  I had a retail
store in one location for about seven years and within that time I had
located at least a dozen players within a three block radius.

In any case, these actions did have flat spring steel springs which
eventually broke many of the wooden action parts as the action aged.
I refer to these flat springs because I did work on another upright
player made by Aeolian that had a similar action which incorporated
coil springs.  These coil springs again, overpowered the strength of
the wood through time and the action self-destructed.  However, this
time the owners of this Aeolian piano wanted to go ahead with the
restoration.

There was a big difference between the Aeolian and the Lauter.
The Aeolian parts that broke were the parts that were attached to
the butts.  I think on the Lauter it was the butt that broke first.

I contacted Bob Streicher for the first time (26 years ago) and he
made me a set of the broken parts.  I replaced the coil springs with
less powerful springs and the action worked just fine.  I was in close
contact with the owners of this piano for many years and the action
held up fine.  I remember the phrase: "Non-blockable Piano Action"
on one of them.

More about Lauters.  The earliest Lauters I have seen were made about
1911.  These pianos are much bulkier in appearance than later models
and have mahogany colored Autopiano mechanisms with a mirror in the top
half of the spoolbox.  Next you'll find the early Lauter mechanism with
the ten-point wind motor.  This motor has ten rectangular pneumatics
that do not hinge (they work like Ampico intensity pneumatics).

Lauters from this period have valves that are mitered on the bottom
(they are not completely square as you view them head on), the valves
have a round piece of motor cloth glued on the bottom and the valve
stems are glued to the pouch.  If I were to restore on early model
I would detach the valve stem from the pouch.  The valve is a disc
with leather glued on both sides.

Later models used a piece of pneumatic cloth as the lower seat.  These
are the best!  When I was 22 years old I used this model as a publicity
stunt and pumped it in a shopping mall for 80 hours.  This was announced
in the MBS at the time.

When I restore Lauter wind motors I use pouch leather about 12 to 14
thousandths thick.  I poured plaster of Paris in an original motor
pouch while it was still intact.  (This method would not be recommended
if you are using cloth to restore, as your throw may come up short.)
After the plaster hardened, I pulled the rod out from the center of the
plaster and then I had my well mold to work with.  I've been using this
same plaster dishing mold for all these years now.

I then take a five inch square of cardboard with a pinhole in the
center and use it as a template to cut out my leather.  The six
discs with rods are then pushed through the pinhole at the center of
the leather squares figuring the leather to be glued nap side down.
By the way, these rods are actually nails.

The rods are put through the hole in the plaster mold and the mold and
leather are placed in the motor well.  I carefully glue the leather down
pulling gently on it so that it lays evenly.  When I am finished the
rods are centered in each well and the entire back of the motor is
covered in leather.

I do not attempt to reproduce the circular patterns of the original
cloth pouches.  I then take clear silicone fish tank sealer and rub a
thin coat on the leather to make it air tight and then dust with talc.
I happen to be restoring a Lauter now.  I haven't done one in years so
it's been nice hearing about John working on his.

Paul Manganaro