Category: The Strip Down

So not much time today but time just to open the main chamber.  I’ve been worrying about this bit for a while.  The main chamber is connected to the base with the bellows by a number of screws, some under the front on the case (where your legs normally go).

 

The other screws you need to remove are at the back but from the top.  You can see the holes where I have removed the screws below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here are the pesky screws hiding behind where the front of the case connects to the main  chamber.  Took a lot of head scratching and crawling about with a torch to find these.

 

 

And finally the main chamber lifts with ease..

You can see the black seals stopping air leak through the wood plank gaps.  At the top you can see the lines of air plugs on their springs beneath the wooden rod plunger from each of the keys.

the picture above also shows the stuck rod we saw from one of the keys.  The rod has overtravelled and pushed the plug into an incorrect alignment.. thankfully at this level this is now an easy fix..

We can also now see the gasket (seal) around the main chamber.  I was wondering what it would be (having read they can be leather, felt or paper)  in our case it looks like paper, probably some sort of blotting paper.  It doesn’t look in too bad a state.  If I were replacing this I might use leather but I’m hopeful this can stay as is.

 

 

If I remove one of the sprung plugs we can see the two reeds that can be played by pressing the key.  Not all the notes have two reeds but many do. They can be played together or independently based on the stop positions that move the flaps above this level.

The stick dropping down is from the key which when pressed moves the plug out of the way so air can pass.

Despite evidence of the wood worm (hopefully a dead infestation)  the main chamber does not look too bad compared with my worst fears.  So I’m happier than when I started.  I will have a clean through but I’m not planning too much in here if I can avoid it ,especially as the blotting paper doesn’t look damaged.

Now the peg board is off we can get at the main swells more easily.  These are the flaps that open at the front and back to allow more air to pass releasing more sound.

The swells are based on two pieces of wood joined and hinged by fabric. A metal rod acts as a spring, to shut the swell when not opened by knee or stops.

Someones used this as a home previously.

Now the swells are off you can see the internal flaps much more easily.  It’s now obvious what some of the problems for this instrument are…

The internal flaps brass hinges are oxidising and getting very stuck.  Some open, some shut.  No wonder the stops don’t work and some notes don’t play,  This hinge issue has lead to some of the metal rod springs for their hinges getting damaged.  This may require some more serious work and likely some new parts too…!

 

Now the keys and the peg board that hold the keys are off you can see the couplers.  These are little levers that can connect one key to two notes.  When you press one key two will be depressed when the couplers is engaged using the relevent stop.

In our case the treble and bass coupler are on one piece of wood so need to be removed together.  A few screws and some very gentle pulling and tipping and the couplers are out.

This is all going to need a good clean.  The levers seem a little stiff which is a concern.  Also it looks like each piece is held in by two hooked pins which may be hard to service.  I guess I don’t want to disturb these too much.  Have to have a think.

 

Now all the keys are off we can see the board that holds the keys.  This is held on by just a few screws.  But that metal rod going across it is also an issue.  As you can see it is engaged by the right hand knee swell to the actual swell flaps at the front and back of the organ.

Here’s the rod at the front.  As you can see it hits a round wooden peg that opens the front swell flap.

Here’s a view from the back.  The rod comes over the top of the peg board and then hooks a strap connected to the rear swell flap.

So all I do is to ease the hooks from the swell strap and over the peg.  Now I can unscrew the peg board with the rod still in place for now.

So here’s the peg board.. I’m now wishing I had a workshop because my whole study is taken up with pieces.. and I’m not even close to finished yet!

 

 

The keys are held in place by a long notched board running along the back of the keys.  This is held in place by 4 screws.  The bellow shows after the notched board has been removed.  Now each key is just held by a few pins on a pin board.

I gently stripped each key from its pins remembering to label them on the underside in pencil so I can get them back on in the correct order.

Here you can see half the keys removed.  Each key has a pin at the back and one at the front to keep it in place.  The pin in the middle is the sprung lever the key acts on to produce the sound.

Here you can see the little levels under some of the keys.  These are the couplers. When one of the stops is pulled it tips the board with the couplers engaging them.  Then when you press one note a second is played at the same time.

The harm’ looks a little like a man with no teeth now.. but there’s worse to come.

Here’s now a clearer view.  You can also see two mettle rods going across the peg board.  One is just for strength but the other is part of the swell stop.

Steps:
1. Remove Back.

2. Remove front panel below keys.

3. Remove top slanted decorative panel.

4. Remove stops rail.