Good morning MMD,  As to David McQuaide's question on Universal pouch
replacement, I have replaced approximately thirty sets of pouches on
these instruments over the last twenty years.  Some of them started
splitting within ten years of sale of the pianos.

I recover the little plastic rings with pouch leather.  This is both
easy and fast with a little thought and planning.  First I remove all
of the pouch rings with a small knife.  Just plant the blade in the
side and rotate against the deck.  This will lift the ring free of its
well.  Next, prepare each ring by lightly rubbing the pouch side on
sand paper to remove the plastic glue and rest of the old pouch.

Now, take a piece of pneumatic pouch leather, about one spare foot
is needed, and smooth out on the bench with the skin side down.  You
will need a dime under this piece of leather to create the pouch.
Place a small amount of PVC-E or 351 plastic glue in a shallow plastic
top.  Carefully dip one edge of the pouch ring in glue to make an
even coating on the edge and place over the dime on the pouch leather
and press down.  Now lift slightly and move the dime and repeat until
all of the rings are glued to the pouch leather.  Let them dry well;
I usually leave them over night.

Now take a punch that just fits over the outside of the ring and place
your sheet of rings on a cutting block and cut out each ring.  You now
have a set of recovered pouches ready to re-install in the wells on the
deck.  These fit rather tight and I use a small block of wood to tap
them in and keep them square with the world while seating in the well.
The small pouching of a dimes thickness along with the added contraction
of pressing in the ring give ample throw to work the little rubber
valves.

I do seal these with rubber cement as their tiny size and very small
bleeds require air tightness.  They are sealed after re-seating in well
by sucking on tube connected to the since nipple.

Ferdinand Pointer - The Piano Company
Clearwater, Florida