Ed Carwithen wrote: > To all, but especially Robert Goodall: > > Lots of player pianos in my area. > A Holland player. The rolls don't roll correctly; they wind to one side, > causing the edges to crease and tear. How do I fix it? > > Ed Carwithen This is a tracking device problem. This mechanism keeps the roll centered with the tracker bar so that the holes line up with those on the paper. If the paper wanders too far in either direction then the player will transpose itself up or down a half step. If it is partially off center then the openings will be to small when a note plays. This will cause notes to be weak, have poor repetition, or some may not play at all. If the tracking device is out of alignment or otherwise not working correctly it will pull the paper in the wrong direction, typically to one extreme. With the roll over so far the edges get frayed. It is also important that the tracker system releases into a center position during rewind or it will often tear the paper to shreds. There are several different variations of tracking devices depending on the manufacturer and they must be regulated in different ways. Very cheep players may not have a tracker at all, but rather a manual adjustment wheel that needs to be set each time a roll is played. They don't work very well but they get by. The most common type is the double pneumatic variety. This system has a pair of pneumatics connected together in teeter-totter style. They are connected via a pair of holes on each side of the tracker bar. As the paper wanders off one side it uncovers one of the holes and the opposing pneumatic pushes it back accordingly. The complicated thing about this system is that there were two variations in roll widths available in the heyday of player pianos, one about an eighth of an inch wider than the other. To overcome this there are two holes at each end of the tracker, one slightly offset above from the other. The inner holes remain covered up with the wider rolls, and thus the outer holes control the paper position. With the narrower rolls a pair of primary valves inside the tracker system sense that both outside holes are uncovered and therefore bypass them so that the inner holes are the only ones controlling the system. If one or more of the tracker holes becomes clogged with dust, or a valve inside the unit is leaky or not seating properly, or if there is a leak somewhere inside the tracker's valve chamber, this system will malfunction. If the player is properly restored this system works reliably for decades. It is really a very ingenious system. Unfortunately if it is malfunctioning, particularly in an old one, they can be very tricky to correct. Another type of tracker was known as the "Fish Pole" system. This system has tiny feeler fingers that sense the position of the paper edges. It works mechanically rather than pneumatically. The sensors are connected to long wires, (hence the name "fish pole", and lead to a tiny clutch wheel at one end. Through a series of tiny gears, levers, or whatever particular set up it has, the clutch will activate another lever to the transmission cam that controls the roll position. I rebuilt a player with one of these types years ago and they work suprisingly well. There are countless other variations out there, some mechanical and some pneumatic. They just need to be analyzed to see how they work. In any case keep in mind that this is 1920's technology. Old players will produce incredible music and can be a load of fun if properly rebuilt down to the last screw. Unfortunately few piano technicians see any like this and thus they become the victims of hatred. To learn more I would suggests Art Reblitz' Player piano book available at most piano supplies. Art is a great guy and knows his stuff. I've corresponded with him on and off through the years and visited his shop about five years ago. You would be absolutely amazed at the kind of wonderful rare music machines that he rebuilds. Good luck, Rob Goodale, RPT
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