Hello MMD -- I have received requests about my roll repair method.
I must say this is not a fast job.  I tried different types of glue,
but the best I came up with is Testor's Extra Fast Drying Cement for
Wood Model Planes in the brown tube.  I started doing this about 1990,
and the first roll still plays perfectly.  All the work is done on
a plain flat bench.

Hardware needed is a 2' by 3' smooth flat board, a plate glass
about the same size, a carpenter's square, some form of weight (I use
a 3-pound sledgehammer head), a box of Cut-Rite waxed paper, some
sheets of black poster cardboard (cut to sheets approximately 2' by
3'), a box of razor blades, a roll of plain banner paper .0035 inch
thick, a 1-foot flat metal ruler, round tube roll punches of assorted
sizes, a couple of Irwin 1-1/2" quick-grip clamps, a 1" wallboard tape
roller (smoothed out by holding at an angle on a belt sander with a
tiny bit of grease on the axle), a 4" cookie roller, a flat iron (no
steam) and the glue.

First lay the cardboard over the flat board and lay the roll over that,
with the edge for repair facing you.  Tweeze out all the tears and
folds and flatten them with the back of your fingernail, then iron them
flat.  Then slide a 22" sheet of wax paper under the roll, leaving
about 1-1/2" out beyond the edge.  Lay the carpenter square about 3"
onto the roll to keep it steady.  Have another 22" sheet of wax paper
ready to grab.  Practice makes perfect on how much glue to use on how
far the tears run in.

Lay a bead of glue straight from the tube, starting an inch inside the
end of the wax paper, all along the top of the tears until an inch
before the other end of the wax paper.  Then quickly lay the other
sheet of wax paper over it to match the bottom sheet.  Slide your
finger lightly over the bead of glue while holding the sheet steady
with you other hand.  With the 4" roller, slowly but firmly roll the
glue over the tears and off the edge of the roll.  Then roll the excess
glue between the wax paper back over the edge of the roll.  This forces
the glue under the edge of the roll and between the tears.  At any time
you can stretch the top sheet to keep it smooth.

Then take the 1" roller and roll back and forth and at angles at both
ends, keeping the glue contained between the two sheets of wax paper.
On final rolling, bear down starting beyond the top of the repair and
roll off the edge of the roll.  This ensures all excess glue is off
the roll.  If the job is done right, the area should look dark or wet.

Let this set for about six minutes, then lay the square on the edge of
the roll.  (By making the repair shorter than the 2' square, you can
see the exposed roll on both ends for an even line-up.)  Then put the
weight (hammer head) on the angle end to keep the square from slipping
on the wax sheet.  Hold down firmly and make the cut.  I have a small
piece of wood a bit longer than 1 foot to lay across the roll to steady
it.

Then take an empty paper towel tube and lay it across the top wax sheet
and peel it off, sliding it over the tube to keep it smooth.  Let this
air-dry for a couple minutes, then take an old kitchen knife and slide
it between the roll and the bottom wax sheet tilted down slightly to
separate roll from wax sheet.  Remove the wax sheet.  Air-dry another
minute, then slowly iron with the heat setting below "Nylon".  This
will rapidly cure the glue.

For single tears, iron flat then put a small piece of wax paper under
it then spread a small bead of glue on top and lift one side up and
glue will run over the edge, then flatten it down wiping the excess off
with the finger, having another piece of wax paper to put right over it
and press the 1" roller over it.  Proceed as before.  Have paper towels
handy.

For large patches use the banner paper.  I cut it to legal size sheets,
then run them through the fast print mode to put a piano roll coloring
on it.  You don't want to work more than a foot at a time anyway.  Make
sure the cutting board and poster board is out beyond the bench an
inch or so for clamping room.  Slide the banner paper way under the
roll leaving an inch or so out from the edge of the roll.  Lay the
square 3" onto the roll.  If it is a reproducing roll with messy tape
repairs, now is the time to punch out the perforations through the
repair tape and the banner paper underneath.  Punch a little beyond the
repair area so you won't miss anything after the cut.

Now lay the square just beyond the edge of the tape and measure the
area to be rid of.  Make note of the start and stop, and make the cut.
Make sure there is enough banner paper underneath, on all sides, before
cutting the left and right sides.  Remember the start and stop points
and take a sharp point X-Acto knife and cut on an angle out off the edge
of the roll.  Now take off the square and slide out the banner paper.

Throw away the tape patch leaving a new strip with perforations ready
to glue in.  Now put the wax sheet back under the roll, lay the square
an inch above the repair area, match the patch perfectly, then lay the
1-foot ruler across the bottom of the patch, leaving about 2" between
ruler and square with cut in the center, then clamp.  Have a 2" by 1'
strip of wax paper ready.  Keep a clean folded paper towel right next
to the working area.

You need a little practice for these next steps.  Start with a 2" bead
of glue dead center over the top cut, take the kitchen knife, slide it
under the flap and lift it so the glue will go underneath as well.
Then lay it back down, wipe the excess off the top with your finger,
wipe the finger, then cover with wax paper and roll back and forth.  Do
the entire length of cut before doing the angle cuts.  Let dry a couple
minutes then take off the clamps and slide the ruler over until it is
1" inside the end of the patch.  Clamp down and glue, lifting the flap
as before, wiping and rolling.  If there is more in line for repair,
do not glue this end.  Proceed as before.

On long chain perforations, slide the wax sheet under the area, run
a small bead of glue over them wiping the excess with your finger,
wax paper and roll with 1" roller being careful how you roll so the
perforations doesn't spread apart.  It might need it twice.  Let this
dry overnight before punching it out.  It can be rolled up so you can
go on to something else.

When all the repairing is done, turn upside down and spray with Elmer's
Slide All.  This is a good time to remove the spool and replace broken
flanges or, if need be, wire brush and paint the steel flanges.  Leave
a 1/32-inch space between the left flange and the paper pack.  I use
masking tape to tighten the flange within the core.  If I need to remove
old tape I use the plate glass and "Goo Gone Extreme Remover".  Works
good, given a little time.

Hope this can be of use.

John Taber
East Hartford, Connecticut

 [ "Goo Gone Extreme Remover" and "Goo Gone Xtreme Remover" are
 [ manufactured by Homax Products, Inc., of Bellingham, Washington.
 [ MSDS data at  http://www.homaxproducts.com/msds/homax.html 
 [ -- Robbie