I have been an avid reader of MMD for several years and have lost
count of the number of times I have learned things that have been useful
in maintaining my small player piano collection, or were just plain
interesting.  It has also been great for sending me off discovering much
more about mechanical music in general.

Now I have a specific problem with my 1923 Ampico grand, and would be
grateful for some advice.  It is well maintained and gets plenty of use,
but recently it was left unused for several months over winter.  On
resumption of playing a previously unknown problem started: the action
won't move into play unless I slide the Tempo control back to zero and
wait for it to click over.  This may take several prolonged attempts the
first play of the day but after that it only takes a few seconds.  Even
then, it will not play unless the Tempo lever is pushed back to zero.

Assuming at first that the problem would be in the drawer, I went
through everything meticulously and the repeat and reroll valves and
pneumatics seem to be working fine.  But the reroll locks on the action
cutoff from the reroll port in the transmission frame and then fails to
cancel when put back into play.

I have most of the published restoration material, including Reblitz,
Givens, Saul, and the 1919 and 1923 service manuals as well as the 1970
tubing chart.  The tubing layout in my drawer differs from the one in
David Saul's drawing, so I have attached a photo in the hope someone is
familiar with it.  At note 4 David Saul refers to a roll starting cutout
on some instruments, but doesn't include the tubing layout.

Does anyone have a copy of Vestal Ampico print 280-C that he refers to?
I have never seen it, and my drawer has tubing to the connection he says
is for this cutout.  I have a reasonable understanding of the Ampico
system, but sometimes find the grand layout baffling compared to the
upright, which is much easier to follow using the 1923 manual.

If the problem is in the pump distributor block, how do I access it in
a working grand?  I am puzzled by the fact the Tempo lever can force the
action into play, and if I cover the reroll port in the transmission
frame the notes will play during reroll, but not when I uncover the port
and put the lever back into play.

I suspect I am missing something obvious.  I hope so, because this has
been driving me crazy for a week now!  Any help will be appreciated.

Robert Nicol

 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/18/11/01/181101_193732_SUC54355.JPG