Big debate here (I love it)!  Sometimes us rebuilders are far too
narrow-minded to try anything new.  It seems that when the rebuilder
is put into a position to _think_, some seem to be totally incapable of
doing so.  Most people operate on someone else's advice instead of
thinking for themselves.  One guy uses Carter's Rubber Cement, another
egg white, and another silicone grease to seal pouches.  Which is best?

The answer is simple:

Why don't some of you guys _test_ any material that is to be used in
your player actions.  For example: get some pouch leather from Player
Piano Company, and some from Schaff Piano Company, and compare the two.

PPCo pouch leather is _very_ porous; it is unsuitable for pouches, and
even questionable for gaskets.  To make it work you have to use so much
sealer that, regardless of which method you use, it will stiffen the
pouch _before_ it will become air-tight.  Try some from Schaff piano
Company: it is very compatible with the original material; it doesn't
have a "fuzzy" look and feel to it like the PPCo stuff does.

Indulge me for a moment with the following story.  Sort of like
a hot rodder, I drag race at the drag strip every weekend.

This fellow has a 350 cubic-inch Chevrolet engine in his dragster.
He had the bright idea of "reducing friction" in his engine by running
loose tolerances on the rod and main bearings.  I told him that the
Chevrolet engine was _not_ designed to run loose tolerances in the
bottom end -- General Motors tried that in 1955 and the engine had
chronic connecting-rod failure.

So he "tricks" out the bottom end of the engine, fires it up, and guess
what: only 10 pounds of oil pressure shows on the gauge.  So instead he
installs a high volume oil pump and it goes up to about 19 psi, still
far too low for driving on the street, much less for racing.

The end result was a $3000 engine throwing all its rods on the ground
one night, with many sparks and much noise.  _My_ engine is still
running fine <grin>.

My point is simply this -- If you find that the material you just
installed is junk, tear it out and install something that will work.
Don't do like the guy with the engine did, and try to compensate for bad
material by doing one "evil" after another.  This is true for engines,
player pianos, and anything else you care to mention.

It is no shame at all to have to redo something.  I have done it many
times myself.  If someone says they have never had to redo something,
I question their honesty.  it is shameful, however, to leave something
in a player action that the rebuilder knows it should be replaced,
_even if you just installed it_!

I would strongly advise anyone in the player-piano field to get Craig
Brougher's book and read it, especially the chapter on testing.  Take
nobody's word, and find out for yourself!  A good rebuilder will not
mind you putting his choice of materials to the test; in fact, he will
encourage you to do so.

The fact is, the better the pouch leather, the less sealer it
will require, and hence the less chance it will become stiff.
_ So test the stuff! _

It isn't an insult to Durrell Armstrong (even though he often takes it
that way) or to anyone else to let them know that the material doesn't
"pass the test".  It just shows that you care about what you are doing,
and is the reason that your player plays better than average.  You can
give your player much more care than the factory, because you aren't
concerned with production like the factory was.

I have sometimes questioned Craig Brougher's methods, and his answer
to me has always been, "Test it."  He didn't become offended like other
rebuilders that often "hit the roof" like so many others whom I question.

I admit that I had to often "take backwater", and admit more than once
to Craig that I was wrong.  But without testing, I would never have
known it.   _Testing doesn't lie!_

Best Regards
Andy Taylor
http://home.swbell.net/tempola/index.htm