I have been wanting to experiment with a new type of valve face for
Duo-Art cross valves.  I still think that these valves can work well with
the right seat material.  I have a Duo-Art that had the valves redone
when good leather was still available.  There is no indentation and this
piano plays beautifully.  I don't like the idea of replacing the seats.

As far as I can tell the main problem is in getting a leather that has
all the properties of the original leather.  If modern leather has the
resilience and firmness to seat well without taking an impression, it is
not likely to be thick nor stiff enough to hold itself onto the valve
disk without a retaining ring.  There is no room for a retaining ring.

I have made the tooling to produce seats made of leather glued to a glass
filled epoxy backboard.  The board is .020" thick and is very strong and
stable.  When pressed onto the valve pin, it is a secure fit and the
leather will never lift, leak nor curl.

I do not have a cross valve piano to rebuild at the moment and would like
to find someone who does.  I will produce a set of valve faces with your
leather or just provide the epoxy disks to anyone who wants to try this
cure and who will let me know the results.

Also I will be completing the tooling to produce washers in a variety of
sizes within a couple of months.  I plan to be able to make washers in
any relatively thin and soft material (my press is only a 3-ton) such as
leather, paper, cardboard, fiber board, glass filled board, brass,
aluminum, etc.

I plan to be able to make washers with any combination of the following
IDs and ODs:  ID .062" to .375", any fractional or number drill size;
OD 5/16" to 1" by 1/16" increments.  Let me know if you think you might
have need for any strange sizes or materials.

Spencer Chase