Alan Pell Modular Organ - Case & Front
Dear All I hope that I will be able to collect my Alan Pell 30 key modular Organ next week. Coming is: 30 key modular organ Glock Snare drum Bass drum & cymbal Violin register I am designing the case at the moment. I anticipate the basic case (for the pipes, glock, blower & player system being 1050mm tall, 800mm wide and 500mm deep. The drums will be fitted at the side, I haven't yet decided if they will face the front or the side. Any comments? I am thinking about using 12mm ply for the case. Any observations? The front will be made to be removalable and I was thinking about MDF as I understand the finish will be better. Any observations? If the blower is inside the case, will I need holes in the case for cooling? Sufficient air? Any help gratefully recieved! Regards Bill

Hi Bill, Placing your drums flat against the sides of the organ may make for a more compact layout, but when I did that on my 52-key "Cabinet" street organ I noticed that if a listener stood towards the snare drum side (not everyone can stand dead centre in front of the organ) the bass drum sound was indistinct. I fitted a standard telephone bell onto the drum shelf at the front, played from the bass drum's action, and lo and behold the drum itself sounded clearer. The high frequencies of the bell focused the ear in an uncanny way. I have recently heard that working with MDF is more hazardous than asbestos. The dust from MDF is lethal, and anyone near it when it's being worked should always wear a face-mask. MDF does give a smoother finish than plain timber, but if you use gesso the finish is even better. I have made simple gesso using PVA glue and whiting (main ingredient of putty). A spray gesso is available, but it's very expensive. This was used on the facade of the ex-Irvin Marenghi, at a cost of over £80 for the materials alone. Regards, John

There are several different kinds of MDF make sure you get the right one. Here in the US there is one called Turpan it is lighter and more moisture resistant. Standard MDF will not hold up to moisture, there are however grades that are water proof. The MDF is no more of a danger than most wood but due to the fine dust when cutting it you need to make sure you are wearing a dust mask. If it were me I would look for Baltic Birch ply or a good grade of paint grade ply. Also look for MDO its what a lot of sign company’s use and will give you a great paint surface. Jay Caughron

Hi there MDF may have a good finish, but it has it's downsides. The dust is certainly more lethal than normal wood dust. This is because of the glue/resin used in its manufacture. There is a certain amount of cyanide used in the glue which can be ingested from the fine dust. The other downside is the resonance problem. Thinish plywood used in the construction of the case and or front should resonate slightly with the sound of the organ. MDF has the resonance characteristics of a block of concrete (figuratively speaking). The tone of the organ should be improved slightly with 10 mm ply. No thicker than 12 mm though! Cheers Peter Griffiths

Dear All Many thanks for your comments - much appreciated. I collected the organ from Alan Pell yesterday and am very, very pleased with it. I have a lot to do - there is a lot of sanding painting to do on the case. The pipes have to be glued to the windchest, shelves for the drums.... and thats before I get to designing and decorating the front. I have put a few photos on my site at http://www.buskerorgan.org/alanpell.html I will keep it updated with my progress. Regards Bill