Reed Organ Restoration - Part 4 - Diving Deeper into the Action

[@farmerfox3332]

Oh my...you sir are patient. I am watching this video with the thought of doing my pump organ antique restoration and man....the work ... sheesh. Thank you for giving me an idea what i am in for....

[@maconSTUFF]

Yeah man, it was quite the task... good luck!

[@mikecrawford9799]

Thanks bro, this series is outstanding! I was given an organ that has been past down through my family. Your videos are truly helping me break this old girl down. All I want is to make her sign!

[@maconSTUFF]

Glad to hear it Mike... Good luck!

[@harrisonallen]

thank you! I would certainly done the exact same thing and removed too many screws on the reed box if you hadn’t already blazed that trail. This entire series is incredibly valuable. thank you for the high quality and deliberate manner of tear down and rebuild. It’s very helpful!

[@maconSTUFF]

You're most welcome... Glad my video was able to help you...

[@povertyhill5197]

After day one of disassembly, we're down to the reed pan. (something tells me the fun part is over) Gratefully, dozens of wooden pieces didn't drop out like on your removal. We also found several missing stop faces once we disassembled the organ just like you did. Several are still wedged behind the pitmans, hopefully we'll retrieve them today. Our Beethoven Organ is a carbon copy of the inside of your Chicago Cottage Organ. We also found two signatures (probably the assemblers) and a date of Dec 6, 1899 written in pencil on the top key faces. Our project started as a bellows repair, much of the organ was completely playable, although the required pedal action doubled as an exercise machine. We also had a cipher occur when the treble coupler was engaged. Ha, I see this may not be a week long project after all! Thanks for the visual instruction manual of how to rehab our organ, I can start to see how far to take certain aspects of the restoration. (one of the videos made me cringe, unfortunately the couplers on ours really needs a redo) We've been jumping around watching different parts to see what we're in for. I never was a person who reads instruction booklets, however watching one from my recliner is awesome!!!!

[@maconSTUFF]

Thats awesome man... taking one of theses apart is like peering back in time... are you on the reed organ tech FB page?... you should post some pics there...

[@povertyhill5197]

@@maconSTUFF Yeah, I've been looking around on the Tech FB page, I think they would lop my head off if they knew I was using spray brake cleaner to clean the couplers. (I've used this on antique clocks and it works like a charm, no residue) On my free time, I've poured through whatever I could find on these organs, I actually had a dream (or nightmare) that I had the organ completely back together but had extra unknown screws leftover! LOL

[@grantsomerville307]

Well, since watching all of your videos and beginning my own restoration, I also got a surprise when removing the back. Apparently, Victorians liked to put photos in things like reed organs. I found a 10x6 (cm) photo of a mother and child (great-great-grandmother and great-grandmother). Luckily I buought the organ from the original family and will return the 116 year old picture to them. I'll put a framed professional copy of it and an owner history in the organ after restoration.

[@maconSTUFF]

Wow!... thats amazing... I wish I could somehow figure out who the guy in my picture is... 🤔... good luck with the rest of your restoration...

[@berniesr]

You are a brave man tackling this

[@maconSTUFF]

Brave or Stupid... the jury is still out.. LOL

[@juilietpritchard6560]

@@maconSTUFF ha ha

[@fnersch3367]

Love your bravery, been building organs for many years and always cringe at how these cheap commercial products are made and the difficulty in repairing them. That thing does not have an independent wind chest; this make working on it tough.

[@juilietpritchard6560]

great work. .. internally it's almost identical to mine. luckily we don't have any cracks. I guess it gets much warmer where u are and much dryer.. ... I didnt expect Part 4 so soon. well done.. ...New shorter format much better.....easier to replay and to remember.. .or vice versa.... there's always a nice bonus some way or other for taking the wrong bit out!!!!.... though it might take a while to work out what it is .. !!!! and a big thanks. what on earth were those 2 stop faces doing inside. and wow ...a great photo in such amazing condition..

[@maconSTUFF]

Thanx Juiliet... yeah, it get pretty hot here in Africa... LOL Trying to keep up the momentum, I start shooting Part 5 today... coming soon... :-)

[@jrzzrj]

Hi....great videos...and I am saving each one....Here's a tip I learned.....Instead of numbering each key (before removing them) @ 03:55 just take a long straight-edge ruler or such and draw a diagonal line from one end to the other on the keyboard...eh?

[@maconSTUFF]

Great idea... thanx J.R.

[@fnersch3367]

On reviewing this video (watched them all twice; I can't get enough) I would date that picture at about 1905 based on dress styles.

[@wjw9075]

Man, you have really made me want to dive into my Clough And Warren Reed Organ. I picked it up for $150 USD! Circa 1870. Mine has a lot of the same issues as yours had...

[@PeteBeardsley]

There are few things I dislike about working with wood, but one of those things is slot head screws. And you my friend have too many slot head screws in that damn thing! lol The OCD part of me wants to replace them all with pozi screws and the rest of me is slapping the OCD part for even thinking it. Coming along nicely Macon, you are doing a great job. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you are a braver man than I!

[@maconSTUFF]

Yeah, if I had my way I would replace all those screws, bu they are not "Period Correct" and are frowned upon LOL...

[@Cemballo]

Yes, not « period correct » and each screw has a different shape so I’ve learned to keep all scews at the original places. Specially on hustorical or old instruments…

[@LifeOnHoth]

hahaha the yikes emoji. Exactly how my face looked like .5 seconds before it appeared on screen hehe.

[@maconSTUFF]

😂

[@linblosune]

What are those pieces seen at 10.52?

[@maconSTUFF]

Those are the pallet valves, they are held up against the reed pan from below with springs, covering the opening below each reed cell...

[@linblosune]

@@maconSTUFF Thank you,sir

[@mepaulandleo823]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@maconSTUFF]

👍

[@sallybearden5608]

Hi