Hi all,  I did a little smile when I read the posting of Tim Gautreaux
in today's MMD.  It's funny how we all manage to find the reasons why we
shouldn't do something a certain way.  I have had the same problems
splitting apart a roll drive that's been assembled wood to wood with
hot glue, chunks of timber staying with the motor, splintering boards,
etc.  If he'd used a thin paper gasket all those years ago he would not
have had the current problems he experienced, as indeed if the original
manufacturer had done the same no one would have any difficulty at all.

As for the recent postings by Paddy Handscombe, well, I take my hat off
to him for reporting something that in my opinion was long overdue.  Okay,
so he's stirred up a bit of a hornets nest and some of the hysterical
society are doing a bit of sabre rattling but, as Paddy says, these
instruments were luxury goods for the purpose of home entertainment.
I would certainly agree with the careful restoration of something rare
and in danger of being lost for ever, but a ten-a-penny player piano
just needs to work as well as possible and fulfil the needs of its
(more often than not) undiscerning owner.

I think it's fair to say that the manufacturers of these instruments
were always looking for ways to improve the product, methods of
production and the types of materials being used must have been under
constant review.  Who's to say that if they were still around today
that they wouldn't be using "white glue" in place of hot glue and
"Neoprene sponge" instead of leather for gaskets.

In conclusion I have always believed that used carefully and with the
appropriate gasketing modern adhesives work.

Cheers for now.
Paul Camps