Greetings and Happy Holidays!  I have been watching the MMD lately and
seen all the recent write-ups on archival acid free roll repair tape
and roll repairs.  The great news is that I do stock this type of repair
tape for my customers and others who want the tape.

The brand of tape I stock is: "Archival Transparent Mending Tissue",
manufactured by Lineco Inc.  It is 1/2 inch wide by 600 inches long.  It
is made of acid-free tissue.  It is very thin, (much thinner than Scotch
tape), non-yellowing, and transparent.  The acrylic adhesive is acid-
free and stable.  For those who want to know if it is removable, on the
package it states "removable with mineral spirits".

How much does it cost and how would I order it?  Document Repair
Tape:  The price of the roll repair tape is: $11.00 for one roll.  Or
order two rolls for $20.00 and $10.00 per roll for each additional
rolls.  If you wish to buy a roll, just send a check and include $2.50
for shipping for up to three rolls anywhere in the world.  Yes! I do
ship the tape world wide.  Shipping for extra rolls is thirty
cents ($0.30) each additional roll.  Order as many rolls as you wish.

I also provide a free guide with each order about music roll repair and
preservation of rolls.   This free guide to roll repair has two
sections: the first section covers how to use the repair tape and how to
repair your music rolls, the second section covers how to adjust your
player piano so that it does not continue to tear your treasured music
rolls.  (By the way, I do not charge shipping if you pick it up in
person, or if you have ordered music rolls.)  You may place an order for
the roll repair tape from:

  Larry Norman
  340 Tracy Drive
  Moneta, VA 24121

How did I get in the archival acid free tape business?  Many years ago
a few other collectors of rolls sent me samples and said it was what we
collectors should be using to repair our rolls.  I tried it and was very
pleased with the results.  The problem was I kept waiting for someone
in the trade (player piano restoration shops, and player piano roll
dealers) to offer it.  it became readily apparent that no one was going
to jump on the band wagon and offer the tape.  It was very hard to get
a roll as the majority of office supply stores don't stock it.  The
manufacturer is not interested in selling one roll of tape to John Q.
Public.  So I kept waiting.

Now that I sell various music rolls by my music roll auction, (which can
be found at http://www.home.earthlink.net/~rollertunes) I initially
decided to just buy a few rolls at retail and mark it up to cover my
costs and offer it to my Music Roll Customers.  Then I decided that if I
ordered a very large quantity of tape the manufacturer would allow me to
order it wholesale and I would not have to mark it up to my customers.

So I cut back on Rocky's dog biscuits and table scraps, emptied my
savings account, stuck my head in the chopping block, and ordered
enough to fill the house with rolls and rolls of archival repair tape,
and stocked the tape for my music roll customers.  Rocky and I dis-
covered that if you put enough other stuff and spices in canned dog food
that you could make a rather tasty meat loaf.  See my web page for the
recipe.

The good news is that my customers bought the tape, and just a few weeks
ago, I placed another large order for more of the tape.  So I have
plenty of tape now in stock.  Rocky had a rather nice smile on his face
when he saw that the piles of tape were disappearing, until he noticed I
had the catalog in hand and saw that I was going to order some more.  He
gave me a wistful look, sighed, and lay down, knowing that times were
going to be tough again.

Why do I stock the Lineco instead of the Filmoplast?  It was a matter of
economics.  The Filmoplast repair tape costs approximately $22.00 per
roll, whereas the Lineco only cost about $11.00 per roll.  I would have
had to put out twice as much money to purchase the Filmoplast.  More
money than my finances would allow.  It does appear that quite a number
of my customers would prefer to order the Filmoplast, as you get more
tape for your money than the smaller roll.  The Filmoplast comes in a
3/4-inch wide roll that is 164 feet long.  It also comes in both the
transparent 'White' or 'Antique'.  I did order a roll of the 'Antique'
to see what it looked like.  The color is a light brown just like the
color of old player piano roll paper and blends in very well.  If I
received sufficient enough orders for the Filmoplast, I would also be
willing to stock it also.

Would you like a sample of the acid free tape to try out?  I would be
willing to send an 8-inch strip of both the Lineco 1/2-inch tape and an
8-inch strip of the 3/4-inch Antique Filmoplast tape to anyone to try
out.  I would also include a copy of my guide to roll repairs.  Simply
send a $1.00 to the above address to cover the cost of printing,
postage, tape, and shipping and handling to my address and I will send
you the samples and the "Guide to Roll Repairs".  To make it more
attractive, if you like the tape, I will also include a coupon good for
one dollar off your purchase of the tape.  In other words you would get
your dollar back on an order.

Would the dealers of music rolls and the player piano restoration shops
like to carry the tape also?  Obviously it is cost-prohibitive for any
one person in the business to order enough rolls of the tape to get it
wholesale.  Certainly I stuck my neck in the chopping block to order
what I did, but then some people think I am a bit touched anyway.   My
proposal is that if we all got together and combined our orders, we
would be able to place one order large enough to get it wholesale and
to be able to offer it to our customers without marking it up above the
retail price.  My feelings is that I would like to see the tape more
readily available for music roll collectors to have access to.  So I do
not feel that there is any competition here at all.

My first thought was to offer minimum quantities of 50 rolls or more,
then I realize that many player piano shops are small Mom and Pop
operations and that 50 rolls may be too many rolls to have on hand.  So
I decided that minimum quantities of 25 rolls probably would do.  I do
have plenty of the 1/2-inch tape in stock to cover all orders.  If you
want the 3/4-inch Filmoplast I will have to wait until I have enough
orders to do it.  Which would you like: the White or the Antique?  Send
me an email and let me know your feelings.

I hope everyone has a happy holiday and does not eat too much turkey.

Musically yours
Larry Norman