Hi John,  You indicated that when you move your #70 striker pneumatic
closed with your hand that it resists being closed.  What is happening
is that when you close the pneumatic, it creates pressure that is
forced into the valves and both the vacuum side and atmosphere side
valves are closing at the same time.

On the Aeolian player the outside atmosphere valve leather is held in
place with a red fiber washer.  This holds the leather tightly to the
center post of the valve.  This washer might have to be pushed down to
hold the leather down or you might have used a very soft and flexible
or thin leather for the outside valve which flexes when pressure is
forced out of the outside valve.

When the outside valve is working normally, a vacuum is created when
the pneumatic opens and the leather just pulls away from the valve
seat and lets the system work normally.

Pete Knobloch
Tempe, Arizona