Hi Ron, This is one I started a while back. The wood had all delaminated, so I got some 5/8" birch plywood and copied the old one. So it is all new hinges, etc. The previous leather flaps I used, were the precut ones, and they were a firmer thinner, more refined type. I had purchased the bulk a while back, and noticed there was quite a difference in texture. It is the laying flat and being air tight that I was concerned about. I will try the sanding and see what happens. I suppose it might even have been all right as was, after all it was sold, as flap valve stock. John Ross Windsor, Nova Scotia. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron Nossaman" <rnossaman at cox.net> To: <pianotech at ptg.org> Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 11:17 PM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Pumper Flap Valve Leather John Ross wrote: > *I purchased some bulk flap valve leather. * > *Previously, I had used the precut individual ones.* > *This leather has courser hairs, or whatever the strandy stuff is.* > *I was thinking that this wouldn't be as air tight, so I was thinking on > putting it hairy side up, on a flat surface and sanding it.* > *Would this work, or should I just go back to ordering individual ones > from Schaff? * > *Or just cut it to size and use as is?* > *I can't even remember where I got it, probably APSCO.* > *I suppose I could just use the original inside ones, as they seem fine. * > *That way if the outside ones didn't work, I could just change them, > without having to recover the bellows?* > *Any suggestions most welcome.* > *Thank you.* > *John Ross* > *Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada* John, Sanding will do it. Try different grits and materials until you find something that is sharp enough to cut the stuff. Going over it with a very sharp Red Devil type scraper (shearing cut) might be a beneficial first pass. It depends on the leather. Sanding afterward doesn't actually remove the woolyboogars. but it will shred them enough so they'll lay down and pack in to a fairly smooth and airtight surface. While I've left a couple of sets of interior flap valves in 30+ years, when I'd determined by abuse that I couldn't replace them with anything better new, I've always re-hinged and recovered pumpers. I've seen too many instances where someone else didn't, and it proved to be the wrong call. Ron N
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