Hello all.  Good news -- the Lester player action I've diligently been
restoring is done!   I did what Craig Brougher suggested and replaced
all the bad (new) leather I had on the valves but it still leaked.

My wife helped me out by pumping the thing while I listened with
tracker bar tube in my ear.  We located the leak in the pouch board.
I removed it and tested every single pouch but nothing leaked.
I sealed up the ports and the bleeds with black tape and it still
had a leak.  Lo and behold there was two leaks that were traced to
internal cracks in the pouch board itself.

In the area where the vacuum port were drilled for the head and lead
to the pouches there are screw holes that hold the board to the action.
The leaks were between the screw holes and these ports; the wood had
apparently cracked internally and leaked through the screw holes.

I mixed up some marine epoxy and worked it into the screw hole until
I could see it ooze out into the vacuum port.  It was quite a crack in
both of them.  I let it set up for 24 hours and re-drilled the screw
holes.  Testing proved it to be air tight and I was in business.

I repaired the second leak the same way.  I mounted the pouch board
back, replaced some stripped screws and I was in business.  It played
perfectly "Pineapple Rag" (with all the extra notes added).  Heaven!

I'm having trouble with the roll tracker, though, and I can't find any
information on it.  It appears to work and I resealed the little vacuum
ports on the side of the tracker bar but it still doesn't seem to move
quite right.  Does anyone have pointers on this?

It has two pneumatics on the left with a spring loaded arm that reaches
around to the drive side on the roll case and the upper roll.  It might
be all right but I'm not sure.  Once in awhile it seems to go off
kilter a bit with the music roll.  Any suggestions?

I appreciate everyone's help on this anniversary present for my good
friend and he's excited that it's finally done.  If it wasn't for all
of you, I would have never gotten it fixed right.  Thank you all and
especially to Craig Brougher for taking the time to speak with me on
it.  He was wonderful!

Doug Vensel

 [ Picture of the roll tracker pneumatic.
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/15/09/13/150913_182455_ACTION03.jpg 

 [ Tracker again.
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/15/09/13/150913_182455_ACTION02.jpg 

 [ Pouch board that had leaks.
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/15/09/13/150913_182455_ACTION10.jpg