A Few Questions On My 65 Note Player Piano
By Richard Kemp
You may remember me - I introduced myself a few months ago having acquired a 65 note player piano at an auction. Having spent a while doing some reading I have now started the restoration. I was wondering if any members might be able to help me with a few questions:
1. I can not identify the make of the action. It does not exactly
match any of the illustrations in the Reblitz book, and has a
"hand-made" look to it. The air motor for example is very roughly
cut, and the maker has had to cut a section out of one of the
guides to allow clearance for a screw. Has anyone else encountered
an action like this? could it be a manufacturer's first attempt?!
2. The bellows of the wind motor have several curious features that I
have not seen in any illustration. Although they are only single
hinged and have no stop cushion, there is a very thin strip of
leather (about an eight of an inch wide by a sixteenth thick) at
the hinge edge of each board. The hinge material is then glued
over this leather. Presumably this was designed to stop the
material being pinched, but it makes assembling the hinges rather
tricky. Should I replace it? Also, there was a piece of leather
attached over the top of the pneumatic cloth at the hinge end of
the bellows. I can't see that this could serve any very useful
function - should I replace it?
3. The visible parts of the action are finished in a semi-gloss black
finish of some sort. What could it be any does any one have any
advice on how to repair or replace the finish ?(would I have to
strip all of the existing finish off?)
Many thanks for all the useful advice I have picked up from the list.
Keep up the good work Jody (by the way, I too recently "acquired" a daughter to go with my 5 year old son, - I can't imagine how you have time to put these lists together!).
[ Can you say "insomniac" ? Jody ]
Richard Kemp, London, UK
kempr@westminster.ac.uk |
(Message sent Mon 4 Nov 1996, 13:47:54 GMT, from time zone GMT.) |
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