Regarding wind motors in player instruments.  If you wonder whether your
wind motor has been restored to it's full potential, here's the test.

Remove the tube which supplies the vacuum and cover the end of the
large nipple or elbow on the wind motor while attempting to turn the
motor backwards by hand.  An ideal wind motor that is air tight will
not allow you to turn the crankshaft backwards.

If you can turn the motor backwards but feel a good bit of resistance
(vacuum should build up in the unit) this is OK.  If you can turn the
motor backwards and feel almost no resistance it is time to put some
work into this unit.

This test is most relevant with a newly restored motor.  Supple cloth
is required for a smooth running motor.  Player Piano Co.'s wine-
colored cloth is a perfect grade to use.

Before deciding to use a lighter grade cloth to solve an existing
loss of power, consider the following to maximize the power of the
motor.  Have you sealed the inner channels of the motor with fresh
shellac as well as the outside surface of the movable leafs?

Using a piece of quarter inch plate glass as a level surface, tape
a piece of fine sandpaper down.  Starting with 220 grit wet/dry
(using dry only) finishing sandpaper, re-surface the front of the
motor as well as the slides.  Remember to work surfaces with the grain.
Work down to 400 grit.

Re-graphite the sliding surfaces with very fine graphite.  (I have
a new old stock can that will last me quite a while more and so I
cannot recommend a source.)  Using a cloth with alcohol, dip the
damp/almost dry cloth into the graphite and rub across the grain to
fill the pores.  Be careful not to build up hills of graphite.  Simply
lay an even coat on the surface.  Next, apply dry graphite with the
grain using a dry cloth.

If you put all this work into a motor it will be as powerful as
possible and will eliminate a lot of drag and tempo inadequacies.

Paul Manganaro