Regarding the ratio of newsletter items devoted to player pianos
compared with those devoted to music boxes.  I've figured it out,
mathematically;  this ratio is the weight of a typical player divided
by the weight of a TYPICAL `music box' (not the Regina changer that
plays 8 foot discs and strikes  bells in  Notre Dame tower). So, several
hundred pounds divided by five pounds or less-- you get the picture!!
Since I have interests on both sides of this `fence', I won't pursue it
any further.  I didn't get any response as to what player piano book(s)
might be useful for a novice, so I struck (hope I didn't strike out)
out on my own and ordered `Piano Servicing, Tuning, And Rebuilding' and
`Player Piano' both by Arthur A. Reblitz (Vestal Press).  But I digress,
so on to the music box stuff.

The Thoren's 11" disc movement I have has `#69' scratched on the face
of the base plate; is there any significance to this?  The two shafts,
winding and speed adjustment, along with the `trip' lever are all
oriented in the same direction ( the same general direction as the disc
clamping bar below the pivot end); however I notice an unused bracket
which is 90 degrees away.  Is this an alternate location for the winding
shaft?  This movement will play a disc (`silent night') about 9 to 10
times when fully wound; is this the usual range?  I notice some grease
on the gears of the movement, are there any specific methods for
lubrication?

I've pretty much decided  that I want the movement oriented vertically
behind a glass panel door, but I would also like to have beveled glass
sides (picture a mantel clock with an 11" dial).  Given the present
configuration of the shafts, I would have to wind it from the top which
seems a little weird; what's your opinion?  (don't be gentle; if this
deserves a `what are you nuts' answer, tell me so).  I was also thinking
of adding some spur gears so that it could be wound from the front,
just below the glass panel door.

I agree with  Larry Smith regarding the sound chamber between the bottom
of the music box and the surface on which it rests, but I think this
holds only if the movement is mounted on the bottom of the box (as is
the case for the cylinder boxes Larry spoke to).  With the vertical
mounting, it seems to me that the sound chamber is now between the
panel on which the movement is mounted and the back panel of the box;
am I on the right track here?  On page 92 of the book `Musical Boxes
and Other Musical Marvels' by Rulli, writer James Spriggs presents a
thoughtful article on this subject and mentions ‘..... soundboard for
larger disc boxes...'.  Is there more specific information on this
subject?  I was thinking of making the back of the box out of spruce
as suggested by member Jack Kane.  However I've also been told by Danilo
Konvalinka that the primary concern is to mount the movement on a
softwood.  I was referred to Danilo by member Douglas Henderson, who
also told me  that he and Danilo knew the Thoren's family personally
and that the disc movement was originally called the `Edelweiss'.