I recently visited some friends who restore player pianos.  They do
very good work, but are stumped with a problem with a Seeburg pump.

The pump is the "Alligator" type, with reinforcements on the inside
of the bellows material.  Apparently, the pump was once covered in
leather, and the owner felt that oiling the leather would make it
"better".  What has happened is the oil saturated the wood.  The
restoration people did a fine job of recovering the pump in heavy
bellows cloth, but due to the oil in the wood, the glue let loose,
and their excellent job of recovering is disconnecting.

I suggested that they remove the heavy cloth and place the wood in a
very warm place, to dry up the oil, then soak it the best they can in
lacquer thinner.  Then, try and recover it again in heavy bellows
cloth.  They think leather would be better, but when I looked at their
leather it was a bit thin for double duty in producing vacuum and
pressure.

Any suggestions?  They do not have access to MMD, but I told them
I would forward any ideas that came through to me.

Bruce Clark