Hi Folks, I'm new to this list, but am fascinated with the
"electronics" of a century ago. I had built some small musical
instruments, and a small Zuckerman harpsichord, and restored
a smashed Hubbard harpsichord prior to doing a minimalist but
successful rebuild of a 1923? Hoffman player piano with a Standard
Pneumatic Co. player action.
Now I'm working on a 1923 Tangley CA43 calliope that had passed through
Don Teach's shop many years ago. Years of poor storage by owners
in-between left problems everywhere. I have cleaned it up, rebuilt the
truly worn-out keyboard, sealed cracks, replaced valve mounting gaskets
and crumbling leather buttons, some bellows, and operated on many of
the valves. (I machined one new valve body to replace a crumbled one.)
I would very much like to find some of the die-cast valve assemblies
to replace the worst ones, or the ones I may break while rebuilding
the rest; I know Don Teach once tried to raise interest in casting
some. In the articles of Dave Miner's passing I saw mention of CA43
parts and wondered if any of you knew of their disposition? Or of
any others?
Stan Harrison
[ The original Tangley players I've seen with unit valves were made
[ by Amphion. What maker used die-cast valves? -- Robbie
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