I have been a piano tech for 37+ years and do a smattering of player
work as it comes up.  I have encountered a most baffling problem and
have never quite figured it out, primarily because I do not want to
spend my time and my client's cash to mostly dismantle to seek a problem
I am not sure where I will find it.

I am talking about these Aeolian "dual" play (pump/electric) player
pianos.  I have several now "on hold" with the same problem and others
that I have experienced over the years.

Although you can block off the pumps/reservoir and get what appears
to be sufficient vacuum and tightness to the structure, either by foot
pumping or with the electric, it doesn't seem to translate to the
stacks and striker pneumatics.  You must pump and run the electric to
get the beast to play reasonably.  I suspected the rewind cutoff valve
and took one apart, but it was in good condition and was functioning
properly.

Since this seems to be such a widespread problem that I have seen,
I am sure that others have run across it _and_ I hope have discovered
and solved the problem.  Perhaps it's just a blockage in the stacks
somewhere that needs to be cleared?  I just need a direction on where
to look and if it is the same for all.

As for other areas, even though I know that the striker pneumatics do
get stiff, most of the instruments I have worked on recently seem to
have the materials in reasonably good shape.  The check valve to the
electric vacuum, despite some of them seeming to be a bit "hokey" have
checked out okay, as best as I can tell.  So, the primary problem seems
to be to translate the vacuum from the pumps to the stacks.

You are welcome to email me directly if you like [see address below]
or you have specific solutions.  Part of this is that I have been
rather busy with a number of things over the last couple of months and
just tonight caught up on about two months of MMDigest.  Of course it
is probable that there are "inquiring minds" just like mine who want in
on your discoveries, so posting to MMD is best.

Sincerely,

Thomas "Tom" E. West - West Piano Service
Greeley, Colorado
te.west.08@gmail.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]

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