End Tabs......Ripped Edges......Broken Flanges......Wrinkles......Ripped Rolls...... Repair Parts
Repairing damaged player piano music rolls is not very difficult. However, it is very time consuming and quite often a waste of time. Rolls that are very old and brittle will typically rip again shortly after being repaired. So if you have a very special roll that needs repair, make sure to record the music on a cassette player the first time you play it, after completing the repair.
For your convenience, I've listed all the Parts and Materials that QRS sells for accomplishing roll repairs at the bottom of this page
Quite often, the End Tab on the roll gets ripped off. This can happen for any number of reasons from age to abuse. Repairing damaged End Tabs is usually a waste of time. Replacing the tab is quite easy and very effective. New End Tabs are available from QRS (see below). If the paper around the end tab has become damaged, it must be 'resized' before attaching the new end tab. To aid newbies in the correct method of marking and trimming away the damaged paper, I've made two simple drawings... click here.
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Ripped, damaged and/or curled edges are the second most common problem found on player piano rolls. Here again, the irregularities can be traced to a number of problems from loose end flanges to poorly operating automatic tracking devices.
Repairing a damaged edge is pretty straightforward. Simply lay the roll out on a table and tape over the irregularity from the front side of the roll. Next, dust the backside of the roll with baby powder or finely milled corn starch, then brush off any excess powder. If you happen to cover note holes or expression holes (like the auto-sustain holes), take a very sharp knife or razor blade and carefully cut out the offending tape. Using a ruler will help insure a straight line.
Numerous individuals have spend untold hours repairing the damaged edges of rolls. Typically, the repairs last a few years at best. The main obsticle keeping repairs from lastly very long is the type of tape used to make the repair. Most household tape gets stiff in a relatively short amount of time, rendering the repair useless and normally causing more damage than if the reapir had never been made.
Recently, a mending tape called Filmoplast has been suggested as the best tape for making long-lasting repairs. How long? No one seems to know for sure, but the tape is used by those responsible for maintaining Archives. Filmoplast seems quite difficult to purchase, probably because it is expensive. Of course, the cost isn't great when you consider the value of your rolls and your time. Below is a list of vendors of conservation supplies for the Stanford University Preservation project. The University of Illinois at Urbana also has good material.
Stanford University Talas, 568 Broadway New York Telephone: 212-219-0770. University Products PO Box 101, 517 Main St. Mt. Holyoke, MA 01041-0101 tel: 800-628-1912...To the Top of this Page
Broken flanges aren't usually a very big problem. Most music rolls are constructed in such a manner that the flange on the left can be removed simply by pulling it off. However, when putting the replacement flange back on, care should be taken to leave approximately 1/32" between the inside edge of the flange and the music paper. If the flange is loose fitting, take a little scotch tape and wind it around the portion of the flange that goes into the cardboard tube. Keeping adding tape as necessary until the flange fits snuggly into the tube, making it easy to set the correct spacing between the paper and the flange. Referred to as 'free space', the space gives the roll room to expand and contract with the changes in temperature and relative humidity. It also helps prevent curled edges by giving the paper plenty or room to 'walk' during the Rewind cycle.
The flange on the right is always secured to the cardboard tube by glue, staples or epoxy. This is necessary so the roll can be rewound. Typically, it is much easier to change the flange and the cardboard tube at the same time, or as a unit. The easiest way to accomplish this is to play the roll through to the end, finish unwinding all the paper and disconnect the paper from the cardboard tube. Then simply tape the paper onto the new tube and flange and rewind the roll. Although new paper is quite forgiving, care should be taken to insure that it is correctly aligned with the 'spool' before the roll is rewound. Old paper is not nearly as forgiving, and it is imperitive that the paper be precisely aligned with the spool or it will start ripping almost immediately when rewound.
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Wrinkles are not very common and usually occur when the roll is made as opposed to when it is used. However, some people insist on tightening the roll after it is rewound, and therein lies the problem. Rolls must never be 'tightened' after they are finished being rewound. Most player pianos come equipped with a braking mechanism that automatically applies the correct amount of drag to the paper as the roll is rewound. (There is also a forward roll brake that helps to keep the paper snug against the tracker bar during the Play cycle). "Skrinching" a roll after Rewind can stretch the paper or create wrinkles.
Removing wrinkles is fairly easy. The most effective method is to lay out the roll on a good flat table covered with about 5 sheets of newspaper. First, attempt to 'pull' the wrinkle out by hand. Be careful not to pull too hard or the roll might rip. Next, take a piece of waxed paper and place it over the wrinkle, followed by a couple more sheets of newspaper. Then, using an iron set to medium heat (steam OFF), iron the wrinkle out, just like pressing a dress shirt.
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Ripped rolls should be handled in much the same fashion as rolls with ripped edges. The main difference is in making sure that the two sections of the roll line up perfectly before the tape is applied. Here again, dust the backside of the roll and carefully cut out the note holes after the repair is completed.
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Here is the complete list of all the Repair parts and materials available from QRS. To purchase any of these supplies, simply call QRS at 1-800-24-ROLLS and place your order. If you planning on Ordering Rolls from MusicRolls.com, you can add any of these items to that order. The Discount on all the items below is 10%
| 46000 | Roll Repair Kit | $18.95 |
| 46002 | Regular Flanges (10 pr., 2" dia.) | $4.50 |
| 46003 | Large Flanges (10 pr., 2-1/2" dia.) | $6.50 |
| 46004 | End Tabs (10) | $2.95 |
| 46005 | Cardboard Tubes (10) | $5.25 |
| 46006 | 10 Regular Boxes (2-1/8 x 2 x 12-1/4) | $11.95 |
| 46007 | 10 Large Boxes (2-7/8 x 2-5/8 x 12-1/4) | $14.95 |
| 46008 | Blank Paper (25 ft.) | $10.75 |
| 46009 | Blank Paper (40 ft.) | $16.00 |
| 46010 | Blank Paper (80 ft.) | $17.75 |
| 46011 | 10 Regular Box Labels (2 x 1-7/8) | $2.95 |
| 46014 | 10 Roll Leaders/w End Tabs | $8.95 |
| 46015 | 10 Large Box Labels (2-5/8 x 2-3/8) | $3.50 |
| 46016 | Test Roll (for 88 Note Players) | $11.00 |
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