TOM THUMB REPAIR                         PART 3


As 2017 progressed, the Tom Thumb Player Piano lost it's enthusiasm and by the time we closed for the season, it was ready for some help.

We seem to be short of air, so the box pump was removed for checking.   It seemed weak, so further disassembly for more detailed checks was started.

The last repair involved gluing the individual pumps to the frame, rather than a more conventional gasket system.   A cork gasket was firmly glued on both sides, which caused a lot of trouble getting the pump loose and damaged the bottom of the pump, so we had to make some new parts and rebuild the pump.

                                       TOM THUMB REPAIR                          PART 2


As 2017 progressed, the Tom Thumb Player Piano lost it's enthusiasm and by the time we closed for the season, it was ready for some help.

After removing the box pump, we found a piano action part in the bottom of the case.

A little checking identified it as coming from this note.

The fix will be easy as the part has just come unglued and is not broken.   The challenge is that in order to get the piano action out, we have to remove all the upper player parts.   The piano needs to be tuned, so that will be done when the player parts are out.

Just another of those small jobs that grows as you progress.

                                            TOM THUMB REPAIR        PART I


As 2017 progressed, the Tom Thumb Player Piano lost it's enthusiasm and by the time we closed for the season, it was barely playing.

In February of 2018, we moved it to the office, where we had some heat and started looking for the problem .   The first check was the box pump.   It sits in the bottom of the case.

We removed it and started checking.   With all the inlets blocked, it could be turned with almost no resistance, indicating a leak or maybe several leaks.   So disassembly was started to allow the four sections to be individually checked.

Future installments will tell you what we found.

                                                               WHICH ROLL IS THIS

A lot of the music rolls in the DeBence collection have seen serious use.   The first damage that happens to a roll is often in the leader, done while threading the roll onto the machine.   It is easy enough to cut some off for a fresh start and eventually splice a new leader in place.

Often when this is done, the information as to roll number and tune list is cut off and not recopied.  At some point when you want a clear identification, it becomes necessary to completely unroll the roll and get the number off the inner end.   

To do this, you put it on the roll repair frame and hand crank it to the inner end.   You will probably patch a few tears during this process.   When you get to the inner end, you are apt to find the roll number on the inside of the roll.   Then you need a rollography to tell you the song list.