New Stop-Tab Rail Wiring

The time line for this topic is a little off for a number of reasons.  Primarily because this has been completed in such a long series of baby-steps there wasn't any point when I said, "That's done" and moved on.  In fact, I recently installed a new-to-me gang switch (that get's it's own post) and I still need to wire in the chimes (which is its own ball of wax since it is an independent 24v electrical system).

This console was originally designed to play 5 unit ranks.  I have convinced it to play 6 unit ranks with a greatly expanded stop list in the pedal.  I already posted about the new-to-me pedal switching system a while back, and I also posted about the new stop-tab rail to accommodate the expanded stop list.  Now I have finished building and wiring the stop switches.  I began with the wood portions on which the wiring and contacts are mounted.  The original components worked fine so I used them as a prototype and made all-new replica parts, only bigger to accommodate the added stops.  These pieces were finished with shellac before wiring.  Then I mounted the stop tab hardware.

There is a standard wiring code used with the color-coded wire in a chest, making it easy to get the correct wire soldered onto the correct pin.  I don't think there is a standard code specifically for wiring stop switches.  I devised my own based on the chest wiring code and wrote it down so it will be easier to trace problems if they arise in the future.  I ran wires from each stop to its corresponding magnet in the relay.  I also had to run another wire from the register crescendo through the stop, and on to the magnet.  This took a little figuring to make sure the electrical current was going in the correct direction and getting to where it needed to go.  I also needed to decide in which order the register crescendo would engage the stops.  That was a total shot in the dark because I don't have things set up that I could test different options.  I started with what I expect to be the softer 8' stops, adding mezzo 8', then soft 4', louder 8', louder 4', finally reeds and 16' stops.  I hope it will be acceptable.  But then, I don't anticipate using the register crescendo all that much, since it is only a practice organ.

Most of the wiring is now done.  The stop tabs themselves will soon be sent off for re-engraving, then I will be able to install them and have the stop system done!

See all photos here:
Stop-Tab Wiring Album

New "Knee Panel"

One of the peculiar things about my installation is that all the bass pipes will speak from the back wall, projecting their sound under the main windchests.  The bottom octave of the 16' Bourdon will speak through the console as well.  Originally, there was a wood panel between the key desk and the pedals.  For lack of a better term I am calling this the "knee panel" because is in front of your knees when seated and playing.  The oak veneer on the original panel was damaged and I wanted to open it up for the sound to get through.  Using some oak that matched the grain of the console, I made a frame and assembled it with my pocket hole jig (I love that thing!).  The tricky part was making the arched opening to go over the swell shoes.  After it was built, I applied an analine dye followed by several coats of varnish just like I did with the console and it matches pretty well.  The inside of the frame has a rabbet cut into it so I could mount a panel of fabric.  I used an acoustically invisible polyester fabric (a.k.a. 'speaker cloth') so it would block as little sound as possible. 

See a few more pictures in the album below:

Knee Panel Album

Felt Trim

The original felt trim on the console was all a bright sea green color and looked rather cheap.  Since the Rohrflöte caps are trimmed in black felt, I thought it would be nice to have the trim on the console match.  I thought it would be easy to search online for wool felt dyed black in various thicknesses, order what I need and be done with that step.  Not so!  I ended up ordering natural colored felt in the thicknesses I needed from Grainger, and then ordered black Country Classic Acid-Wash dye from Halcyon Yarn.  Grainger wouldn't guarantee that their premium industrial wool felts would take dye.  Halcyon wouldn't guarantee that their dye wouldn't harm the felt (wool is usually dyed and then processed into felt).  Oh well- this project has been one experiment after another, so what's one more?

The process was simple.  First, I tested a scrap piece of felt.  Following the dye directions, I added the dye to the kettle of warm water and heated to a simmer.  I added the felt and stirred occasionally for 30 minutes.  I removed the felt to a cold water bath and rinsed thoroughly, then let it dry.  I found that the felt shrank about 3% in length, but became just a hair thicker (sorry- couldn't pass that one up!).  The felt took the dye just fine, so I considered it a success.  I cut the strips longer than needed and dyed all the felt in a fresh dye bath.  I had plenty of extra felt for the bumper strip just above the keys.  I thought it might look nice to have that dyed deep red to bring out some of the red highlights in the surrounding oak so I made a bath of red dye as well.

After all the felt had dried completely, I cut the pieces to the exact size I needed at attached them to the console with fish glue.  See photos of the entire process at the link below:

Felt Album