I just read Tony's report on my punch (thank you, Tony), and all I can
say is that I am very pleased with the response.  I built mine because
I wanted the ability to play paper rolls with music that is otherwise
unavailable.

My first punching was "The Entertainer."  Sounds great, even though it
has no percussion on it!  The punch gives you the ability to make a
roll of any MIDI recording, although some transposing may be necessary
as well as the usual missing-note cover-ups.

Tony mentioned "free" in his note regarding the software.  The two file
conversion programs needed _are_ totally free, and the CNC operating
program is a free download.  It will operate the machine, but it is
limited to 500 lines of G code.  My G code for "The Entertainer" was
100,800 lines of code, and of that, 2/3 were punch calls.  To punch as
many lines as you will probably need, you must purchase a license.

However, there are programs available on the web (sorry but I don't
have their names) that are totally free and will run a CNC machine.  I
chose the one I mention in the plan because of its ease of use and the
superior support available through its discussion group on Yahoo, where
you can have questions answered by the person who actually wrote the
program.  Try that with Microsoft!

Well, I'm not here to plug myself.  I just wanted to clarify the free
program stuff and say a big THANKS to all who have purchased so far and
in the future.

I have not been able to locate a source for dry-waxed paper in the
weight needed and in rolls six inches wide.  Well, I could ... if I
wanted to purchase a couple hundred rolls at once, but that is a little
pricey.

Sincerely,
Randy Charles

  [Anybody in the roll-making business can testify that finding a con-
  [sistent source of the right paper is a problem.  Small users like
  [Randy might try piggy-backing their order onto an order from one of
  [the big users like Play-Rite, David Saul, Richard Tonnesen, Mike
  [Grant, or the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum.  The HCFM buys
  [wide rolls and sends them out locally to be slit to size; Mike Grant
  [runs his own slitter.
  [--Relief Editor