Now that the pipework construction has been completed we can begin to do some further assembly of the organ. First, we will install the windchest. This is mounted with long screws through top front of the windchest into the channel board below. There are holes in the bottom of the windchest which are connected to the channels in the channel board. These will conduct the wind to play the bottom pipes. The sides of the windchest are screwed into a cleat mounted on each side of the organ. The windchest is supported on 3 sides. (Photo A)

The windchest and the channel board are now firmly mounted so we will turn the organ case upside down. In order to get better access to the bottom board to mount the bottom pipes we will remove one of the boards on which the casters are mounted (Photo B). A leather gasket has been prepared and glued to the bottom of the channel board. The wind opening on the back of the bottom pipes will be positioned over the appropriate hole and glued to this gasket. Other leather strips are also glued to the bottom of the board to provide other attachment points on the pipes to fasten then to the bottom board. Note the pitches of the pipes have been written on the bottom board by the appropriate hole to help guard against making an error in gluing them in the proper position.

Photo C shows the bottom pipes now installed on the bottom board.

The board with the casters is replaced and we again turn the organ over to an upright position. Photo D shows the windchest with the push rods installed. Each push rod has a wooden collar to limit its downward travel. The collar is faced with a small leather gasket to minimize air leakage when the push rod is completely depressed. These push rods are depressed by the stack pneumatic to open the palate valve in the windchest to admit air to the pipes. In order to prevent a disaster, the holes in the top of the windchest where the rest of the pipework will be mounted, are covered with masking tape to prevent me from dropping something into the windchest through one of these holes. This would likely require removal of the windchest and opening it up to retrieve the object. Sort of a one step forward and two steps backward situation......

Dr. Bill Black is one of the nation's most knowledgeble Wurlitzer band organ experts. He has made recordings of many band organs and other mechanical music machines which are available for purchase at CarouselStores.com.

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