Question about Ampico valves for you player people

[John Ross]

Hi,
If no satisfactory answer here.
Try Mechanical Music Digest <rolls@foxtail.com>
Regards,
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada

PIANO2NR@AOL.COM wrote:

> I have a customer with a Haines Bros. upright with a model A Ampico with the
> valves that are "upside down".  He and a friend rebuilt the thing and did a
> reasonably good job with the following exception:  to replace the pouches
> they used zypher skin.  It is very airtight but in this configuration with
> the upside down valves it is a little too stiff and has settled and taken a
> set in the open position at rest.
>      Needless to say it takes very high vacuum to close the valves now.  I
> was wondering if there is anything short of repouching that might work, such
> as treating the pouches with neatsfoot oil and perhaps using some very weak
> coil springs(like the ones at the bottom of Pianodisc solenoids) to push the
> valve disks back up to a closed position?  Any input would be appreciated.
> If you want to email me privately that's fine.
> Thanks,
> Randy Mangus, RPT