Player Piano Revival Episode 15: Reconstructing the Striker Pneumatics 

The cloth used in this video is the "thin synthetic pneumatic cloth" from DC Ramey. dcramey.com/Supplies2.html

Yes, a bench testing episode is very much needed!!

I would love to see a bench testing episode! I feel your pain with the “Devil’s Phlegm,” I found some in my piano on the newer looking valves. Took me an entire day to just get the residue off and I had to trash the main block of the air motor when I saw that had it as well. It’s amazing to see the similarity between what we are doing, everything down to the clothespin on the glue brush is almost the same! I love watching these videos and my dad is now watching them as well, they brighten my day and remind me that some day I’ll have a perfectly functional player piano like you! Thanks as always.

This is one of the greatest channels on RU-vid... Thank You.. Keep up the good work! :D

Nate, your craftsmanship is superb! I am so impressed with the careful detail you give each section of the player. Thanks for posting this series!

I have no idea how you don't have thousands of views. Thank you for sharing your time with these pianos and explaining everything. Here's hoping I get to tell everyone I was a fan of yours before you became a sellout!

Yes please! More! More! These are great! Thanks

You could make this series into a television show! I’m lovin’ it!

Have my vote on bench testing. Would love to see how you adjust the valves if needed.

I rebuilt my first player in 1979. Have rebuilt a half dozen since. I own a 1927 Steinway OR Duo-Art with a Louis XVI catalog art case. Thanks for promoting the craft!

That vintage Tupperware aesthetic is gorgeous. Possible future sponsorship deal needs to be considered 😂

Just stumbled across your channel. You have great work ethics. not repair the bad things, but doing a full restoration. awesome. I restore 2" quad video tape machines and also completely tear down and rebuild leaving no stone unturned. The only way to RESTORE things that have aged. Love your attention to detail and knowledge about woods & glue. Huge amount of work, but at least you know EVERYTHING has been restored. I would love to be your apprentice! I subscribed! Keep up the great work!

The time and patience this must take. Absolutely incredible!

Whole lotta work to rebuild a pneumatic deck assembly. Congrats!

Been enjoying this restoration series, definitely need a bench test and reconstruction video.👍

Great material Nate = thank you. I am wrapping up the piano action rebuild and will be starting the player mechanism rebuild shortly. It is clear that all of the bellows need to be replaced. This is a great roadmap!

Having done some myself, Nice to watch someone else with the patience to do it! Well presented !🧐

Fantastic work, and a joy to watch! But mentally, I keep going "88 parts, then times two, or three..."and I am more amazed that you keep it together (and can put it back together!). Really cool to watch, and much respect for your attention to details and having pride in your work, you sir are a craftsman, not just a RU-vidr. But I'm glad you are a RU-vidr, but, well, shit, you know what I mean 😂

Assembly and test please. All your episodes are very informative and educational.Thanks from DownUnder in sunny Melbourne.

Your videos are great! I was always intrigued by the mechanics of a player piano. Your knowledge has brought about great insight making me want to tackle one of those old beasts and make it into a beauty.

The way to remove the cloth from old pneumatics (when you want to re-use the boards) is to sane the cloth off with belt/disc sander.

Love your work Nate and I also appreciate your sense of humour, it makes for light hearted viewing and in addition, your really clear explanations of the process. I’m slowly working my way through your set of videos and I’m just blown away by how clever and intricate the design of our player pianos is…I’ve got a few of my own. Thanks for your efforts

Nate, I agree with awl of the comments. Please show all steps, I am learning so much! And keep those puns rolling!

Yes please, string this series out for as long as possible. I'm loving every moment. Also, can you take a look at the revival playlist order please, they are all mixed up at the moment

Nate I will watch any video you make buddy!

Need you ask? Of course we want to see the bench testing❤ 😂

"Give it my awl" I appreciate you so much

Thanks for another great episode! I hope we can see how you regulate the stack to the piano action.

Looking perfect!!

Its very handy at about the 10 min mark that you can buy a box of perfectly sized strips of cloth for the bellows. who of thunk 🤷‍♂ 🤣🤣🤣🤣 You know we all want to see a bench test. Great video 2x👍

I greatly enjoy all your videos, and as a player rebuilder myself, I'm always interested to see what other folks use in their techniques and materials, especially with silicone sheeting being used more and more for tight valve and gasket work. That being said, I'm curious as to your workshop. Did you inherit/take over a pre-existing piano restorer's setup? You've got an impressive work space and expansive supplies/parts/tooling selection. While I believe you to be a bit younger than I, what I'm seeing seems to be something akin to a workshop belonging a long-experienced veteran. If you indeed started from scratch and built this wonderland from the ground up, then BRAVO I say! There are less and less rebuilders of these wonderful machines these days with their collections being scattered to the 7 winds, at best, but usually being hauled away. I applaud what you've done, and anticipate what you've yet to do.

Great video content. I have use the nylon cloth and plastic glue on a Duo-art stack and it plays very strong. I didn't care for the speed it took to set up. Still prefer using the hide glue and rubber cloth for speed. I use a bench belt sander to clean up the edges of the pneumatics. Makes short work of 88. Keep up the good work. Hate to see this trade vanish..

Hi Nate, do you have a suggestion for treating the leather nuts to prevent corrosion of the metal push rods? In examining my 34 year old rebuild of my Standard action, the nuts have moderately to severely corroded the push rods. I would rather not go with plastic nuts if I can treat the new leather nuts somehow to prevent this corrosion over the years. Also, PBS should start a series called "This Old Player Piano" starring YOU! You have the personality, wit and knowledge to pull it off! Your projects are very interesting and show all the excellent craftsmanship like Norm Abrams did on "This Old House" and "New Yankee Workshop". A show like that (or even a one time documentary) would help promote and save old player pianos! Cheers! Chip in PA.

Pneumatics look great! I vote bench test!

I ran across the devils phlegm on my player the other day the nipple block for the tracking mechanism. I don’t understand why someone would just assume that part should be permanent.

First off, you're too young to tell dad jokes, but keep them coming...because I'm a dad. I see you used Poplar for the pneumatic's, is this what was used originally? Now that you have all pneumatic's , what will you do with the oldmatics? Ba da boom. Great video thanks for making these.

If you're making an episode on assembly and testing I think that will be awesome! Everything so far has been so thorough, seeing every step of the process is fun to watch and also super informative. I wonder how many pianos out there will wind up getting restored in the future because of your work making these videos? I can tell you for sure there's at least one underway already that is benefiting from this!

Hi Nate - Another enjoyable episode! I especially like that you put the pneumatic cloth strips in the "Strip Polka" QRS box. Would you consider telling us where you're getting your plastic (nylon?) nuts? Thanks

Hello Nate, can you say something about using plastic nuts in place of leather nuts? Is it to prevent corrosion on the rod? Do the plastic nuts have adequate friction to stay in place? Are they 3-d printed, or off-the-shelf threaded nuts? By the way, I really enjoyed your sunny side up joke a few episodes back.

What the difference? Taste. LOL

Get rid of their old graffiti lol. Those hooligans.