[pianotech] Pianola?

[Larry Fisher RPT]

OK so as I understand it you have the roll advancing through the spool box but no notes being played.  If you have a good strong reroll as well, then your pumping bellows are generating suction.  The valve chest that controls all of the notes in forward is cut off from the bellows in reroll so that the notes don’t play in reverse.  Move the reroll lever and take note of the linkages and their movements.  Typically the mechanism that handles this is located near the large hose (look for the largest hoses in the player located at the bass end or possibly the treble end as well).  From memory, Aeolian used a slide valve to accomplish this.  The valve was activated by the linkage to the reroll lever and located at the bass end of the bellows.  It’s been a while and I hope someone with a clearer memory responds.  Once this valve is functional, you should have vacuum to run the notes in forward.  If the vacuum is insufficient you’ll have a weak response.  Pump harder to overcome the losses.  In rare situations, most of the 80 valves that operated the individual notes are in limbo  ........  neither on or off.  Lots of vacuum is needed to overcome this condition but once that has been accomplished the player functions well.

Make sure you don’t have any major losses due to hoses that have come off their intended connections.

Lar
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