Many years ago my first player rebuild was a Melville Clark with zephyr
skin pouches. I ordered what was available from PPC. I glued the new
pouches on with hot glue which was used on the originals. After drying
you could blow air on them and they would fly away. :-) I then started
experimenting and found NO glue would stick to it, it was like Teflon.
I used leather and sealed it with Carter's rubber cement thinned 50/50.
It's still working perfectly.
Years later I was able to get a good skin from Organ Leathers (now
Leather Supply House). It looked like the old stuff, ivory in color and
rough to the touch. This is what it has to look like. The stuff you get
now is very white, shiny and slick and delaminates easily. I have glued
the good stuff with fresh made shellac and it wont come off. I still
have one skin left which I use for whistlers only. I would only use
leather for piano work.
You might call the Leather Supply House in South Bend, Indiana, tel
219-234-8990, to see what they have, but remember: it must be somewhat
yellow and rough like bond paper.
Randy Hayno
P.S. Don't use rubber cloth on a Celestina! (A word to the wise). Use
leather.
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