player kit (was weighty tools)

[pianolady50@peoplepc.com]

Hi David,

Okay, I'll try to remember what's in there!  First of all it is a medium
sized "tote" box - plastic with hinged lid.  Included:  player test roll for
every type, assorted tubing sizes (6 ft of tracker, control, and other small
dia., odds and ends of other large hoses left over from rebuild jobs),
small box of misc. fittings and connectors, large zip-lock bag with assorted
leathers and cloths, masking tape, duct tape, vacuum gauge,  small box with
leather nuts, hitchpin punchings, med. balance rail cloth punchings, and a
couple small drill bits to ream leather nuts as necessary, and a tracker bar
pump.

I'm sure I've missed something in that list!  Other items are carried as
parts of other kits, i.e. glues, lubes, screws.
If I'm real ambitious I'll load a portable test pump in the truck but rarely
do I use it in the field.  Tubing, leathers, and cloths in the kit have to
be periodically replaced due to age deterioration.

Mostly, nowadays, you'll find that it is either a quick and easy fix on a
previous rebuild (or 1970's - 1980's player) or it's going to be minor/major
shop work.  Not much in between.

A reminder to all non-player techs.  Even if all you are going to do is
tune, have the customer demonstrate the player first!  You don't want "hey,
now it doesn't work" surprises afterwards (when it didn't before anyway).
And... on *old* stuff (never rebuilt), if you have to remove player parts
for piano work, warn the customer that the player most likely will not work
afterwards (on the unlikely chance it did before removal) and get the
customer's approval.
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Vanderhoofven" <david@vanderpiano.com>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006 10:00 AM
Subject: Re: Weighty tools


> Hi Debbie,
>
> Can You describe what you put into your player piano kit?
>
> Thanks!
>
> David A. Vanderhoofven
> Joplin, MO