A couple of my reg keys seem to be leaking after the pipes being laid up for a while. Is there anything I can apply to the pads which will help or any other methods possible to stop the leaks? The pads, keys and springs look to be in good order but there is definately air leaking. Is it because they have not been played for some time? will it improve with playing or do I need to take some action? (before you suggest elastic bands…I don’t like the idea of having to have them on the pipes if it’e possible to avoid them.)
Thanks guys
Droner
I have found the best fix for leaking leather pads is to apply some lanolin when they dry out. Just a drop or two per pad should be sufficient.
What many are doing now is to turn to neoprene rubber instead of leather for regulator pads. The best source is Diving shops that sell sheets of neoprene for wet suit repair. The fellow at my local shop just gave me a few square inches of it to try out and it worked perfectly.
Local pipemaker Joe Kennedy asked me where this shop was so could get some. I know other pipemakers ( ie. Gallagher) are using neoprene now as well.
Another material used for pads is the closed-cell foam used by whitewater kayaks for knee braces, available at a kayak shop. It must be sawn into slices of apprpriate thikness with a band saw. It seals well with even lightly tensioned springs. Too light a tension will allow the key to be blown off the hole, no matter what pad is used. I have no experience with neoprene foam, but some who have tried it tell me that the kayak foam worked better for them. Oil on leather pads eventually dries out and makes the pad stickey. NSP players usually have their wood and leather dripping with oil, with all its mess. Foam is rapidly replacing leather for pads and needs no oil.
Actually, Joe Kennedy is currently using a closed foam weather insulation strip that he found in his dad’s garage. It works great, but he’doesn’t know what its called or where it came from. I think he was looking at the diver’s neoprene for when he runs out of this stuff.
