Organ Update 10
UPDATE Compiled by Boz Oram
boz@historyinharmony.com
www.historyinharmony.com
EDITOR BOZ ORAM boz.oram@andover52.fsnet.co.uk
One of the things that excite (or was it frightens?) me is that after I send out this Update, I start all over again with the next one on a totally blank sheet. Fortunately I get a lot of help with the articles from the feedback that you supply me with, which makes it all worthwhile, so this is just to say “thank you” for all of your support and help.
A few more people are joining in on this email and the word is getting around and by all accounts is being received in a very positive fashion. The Update has evolved in its short time that it has been in operation, to involve all different types of people’s hobby. Originally it was for the mechanical organ fraternity via the excellent FOPS FORUM hosted by John Page, however it now encompasses steam engines, model collectors, toy collectors and all manner of chattels. So this is a thank you to John for starting this off in the first place and for the lively debates and articles that continue to come in. Further details are available from John at memsec@fops.org relating to the Fair Organ Preservation Society.
In a future edition I’ll be letting you know how to keep your possessions in the family without the taxman taking them from you. The article will be based on English law, however I think that there will be ways of sorting out the same problem in your own countries (including Scotland as you have a slightly different fiscal system). I am just getting it checked at this moment for accuracy from an old friend Nick Butler, so thanks for that Nick.
Thank you to a few of you who have sent in names and addresses of places where supplies can be found, but I am waiting for a few more before I publish them as it is a bit one sided at the moment. If you have any information however small, please pass it onto me and I’ll put it all together. Again I ask that this should be from all countries so that we can use an international flavour to the pastime that we all enjoy.
I have also been asked to supply a list of venues going on elsewhere in the world as a few of the newer members missed out on the previous list of events. If you have any shows in your country, then please pass them on and I put a list of events together.
Many magazines have a regular listing of shows in the UK with three that come to mind being Old Glory, Vintage Spirit and the World’s Fair cover the UK. All you need to do is go onto their websites and they’ll do the rest www.worldsfair.co.uk or www.oldglory.co.uk or www.vintagespirit.co.uk as they’ll be far more accurate than I’ll ever be!
Contents Something to make you laugh
Help Please
E111 Restoration Technical Advice Echtdamph-Treffen Köln Model Railway Exhibition. End Bit
Overheard on the Radio a few years ago.
Due to the fact that aircraft suffer many problems with birds getting in the way and thereby causing considerable damage whilst in flight, a company was commissioned to build a machine that would simulate the speed of a Jumbo Jet and what would happen if a heavy bird hit the windscreen. The company came up with the idea of a cannon that could blast large birds such as chickens through the air at 550 miles per hour. The design was a complete success and proved that the windscreens could take the force of a large fowl impacting onto the windscreen. A member of the British railway network thought that it would be sensible to use it to test the High Speed Train’s toughened windscreens and check out whether they were safe enough for their drivers, heard of the project and asked if they could use the device.
The machine was duly borrowed and set up using an intercity 125 as the test piece. A chicken was loaded into the barrel of the cannon and sent hurtling at great speed towards the locomotive with the resultant effect of the bird hitting the screen and totally demolishing it, the driver’s seat, the instrument panel as well as the electrical switchboard behind the driver. The railway development team, feeling that something might be slightly amiss, decided to send the machine back saying that it must have been faulty and could they test it, checking the speeds, velocity and angles.
A letter was sent back shortly afterwards saying that the machine had been tested and was launching the birds at the correct regulated speed of 550 mph, but in future, could the railway team make sure that the chickens were defrosted before use!
Any help please
I received this from Colin Tyson, Editor of the monthly magazine Old Glory www.oldglory.co.uk
Can you confirm that there was an organ in this arcade that presumably met its death, and if so, what was it?
”I have just heard the news on local television about a fire in an amusement arcade in Wells-next-the-Sea. (Norfolk). Are you aware that there was an old preserved fairground organ at the back of this arcade? Two dogs where rescued from the fire but what has happened to the organ?” Thanks for your latest Boz.
If anyone has any information, can you please let me know and I’ll pass on the information. I have heard from my own sources that the organ in question is a Gavioli Barrel Organ that was there for more for show and not played too often. I am also told that the instrument fortunately remained unscathed. Any further information please?
From Edward Murray Harvey and Maggie Morris
For those of you who don’t know, but when travelling from the UK to Europe, there is a reciprocal arrangement between EEC countries that allow people on holiday to be treated either at a reduced rate or free of charge by use of form E111. It has however been updated and the previous one is now void. You need a new form to fill out and I’ll leave Edward to fill you in on the gaps
“The E111 form entitles the holder to free or reduced-cost state healthcare in the event of illness or accident while travelling in an E.U. country. To obtain this assistance, each person travelling will need a new E 111 form, available free from any Post Office. Previously issued E 111 forms expired on Friday 31st December 2004, and the new ones will expire on Saturday 31st December 2005, by which time the holder should have received the new European Health Insurance Card.”
Strangely enough, this information has been difficult to obtain from various sources. I wonder why?
RESTORATION
Many of us have the unenviable situation of having to restore and preserve a piece of history. Unfortunately, the mechanical properties may be perfect, but that doesn’t mean a thing when put in front of the General Public. What they see is what is in front of them and if it looks decidedly amateurish, then that is the lasting impression that they’ll take away with them. All of that hard work being criticised for all of the wrong reasons – you would have been better off to have left it well alone - and original……… or maybe….
Now here’s an idea that may well be a way of helping some of you in producing a piece of equipment that is well-painted and presented as a work of art. So here goes… It is for those people who do not have access to state of the art workshops………
Preparation before you
“Paint ‘cha Wagon”
Boz Oram
This exercise is really for the painting of bodywork on your vehicle, not for the painting of prosceniums, paintings or the fronts of mechanical organs as a more specialised technique is needed to give that additional lustre to the feeling of what YOU and the organ are trying to portray.
No, this is to help you get a “professional” finish at just a fraction of the cost, but do take heed, only YOUR practice makes the grade. Most paints are fairly compatible with each other, but it is advisable to try a small area beforehand to make sure that it does not react with what is already underneath. Remember there is always a particular paint to suit each application as well as the type of material to be painted, so do check that the paint to be used is the correct type.
TEMPERATURE
Painting can, and does take place at a wide variety of temperatures, however you will need to adjust the drying and curing times depending upon which temperature you are painting at. A good guide is to work at 20*C with a relative humidity of 60 – 65% - Should the temperature reduce by 10*C, then you must double the drying/curing time and conversely, halve the time with an increase of 10*C.
I tend to work to the rule of, “if I can leave the amount of time between coats as long as possible, then the end result will be a much harder and tougher job.” It should also withstand the bangs and bashes that occur on all roads and other unknown places. A safety top tip here is if you are working outside, then ventilation is not too much of a problem however inside, you must take precautions and ventilate as much as possible without creating too much dust, as this will spoil the end result. Your health is far more important than “getting the job finished and cutting those corners”. The properties of paint vary according to the temperature variation – in other words, it will thicken at lower temperatures, which can make it more difficult to apply. Always note the maximum thinner ratios and take care to not add more than is recommended. At higher temperatures, the increase in curing/drying rates can also reduce the flowing properties resulting in unsightly application marks. Remember when painting outside in direct sunlight, the surface to be painted has a much higher heat value than the ambient temperature. Take care, as the paint will go off far quicker than you expect.
Under normal circumstances, the minimum application temperature for the majority of products is 5*C. Do keep to this as the paint will not cure below these temperatures, which results in poor formation as well as poor adhesion between coats. BEWARE!
RELATIVE HUMIDITY
Ideally, relative humidity should not be above 65% (this is measured by use of a hygrometer). There is another way for those of us without the use of these new fangled gadgets, and that is to moisten the surface to be painted and if it dries within 10-15 minutes, then it should be all right to be painted. For those of us who paint outside, then do not start too early or late in the day, as there is always a risk of condensation or dew.
VENTILATION
As I said earlier and I can’t stress it too much, ample ventilation is important not only for your own health, but to allow the paint solvents to evaporate and disperse, thereby allowing the paint to cure properly and avoid blistering.
When painting outside, choose a calm day to minimise the risk of dust pollution on the paint surface, and to allow the paint to flow out naturally, which in turn will improve the final texture and finish.
CLEANING AND DEGREASING
Good surface preparation is vital to achieve a high quality finish. Working on the assumption that you already have a base to work to, but it needs cleaning, then this part of the exercise is for you. Part of the preparation for painting is to ensure that the surface is free from contamination – that means the removal of all surface contaminants, loose paint, wax, silicone and the like. It is sensible to use a lint free cloth so that you do not create any further surface contamination. Again, use any degreasing agent in a well-ventilated area, using a clean absorbent cloth. It should be used in a circular motion and clean a square yard/metre at a time, changing the cloth surface before the next section. Solvent resistant gloves should be used for those with an allergy and eye protection is an advantage.
ABRADING
Ensuring a good coating with adhesion, then the surface must be dry, clean, free from grease, as well as even, but not too smooth.
DRY ABRADING
It is recommended, that all loose fillers and old paint be removed in the initial preparation of wood, GRP, aluminium, metal and lead. Dry sanding, as you can imagine, creates a fair amount of dust particles, so those of you who suffer in the lung region, should use a mask as well as eye protection. Dry abrasive paper is available in various grades and comes in sheets or a roll. When sanding by hand, to get an even texture, wrap the paper around a cork or a specialist- sanding block. With one of these, you can also get into those nasty little corners that are sometimes quite difficult to enter. When using a mechanical sander, take care on the edges, as you can rub away much of your hard work and preparation in a trice. Also beware of hitting any corners with the machine as any paint will chip off and leave an unsightly gash.
WET ABRADING
Due to the lubricating action of the water, there is normally a minimum amount of clogging. Use plenty of water, as it will help in getting a clean and even surface relatively quickly.
DO NOT USE AN ELECTRIC SANDER WITH WATER as the consequences can be fatal.
Wet abrasive paper can be obtained in various grades as well as on a roll or in sheet form and a top tip for you. If the paper should be too rough for a particular operation and you don’t have smoother paper, then rub the abrasive surfaces together, to achieve the required finish.
APPLICATION METHODS AND TOOLS
Paint coating thickness is measured in microns (a micron is 1/1000mm). A wet-film thickness gauge can be used when applying the paint if the coating is critical, however in most cases, this is not necessary. Normally it will be found that a coating applied in wet film thickness, is normally 100 microns, but will dry to between 35-65 microns per coat, depending upon the product. Do not try to put any more on than the specified amount in one coating, as you may find that this will cause you problems with curing and solvent entrapment, which then may result in a coating failure which means rubbing the whole lot back and starting again. (I know this. I have done the self-same thing in haste to finish something quickly!)
SURFACES
Remember that an irregular surface has a greater surface area, and will therefore require more paint to cover it. Likewise, a porous surface will absorb more paint than others, so it is normal to seal it with a thin coat beforehand. Thinners are good for (a) thinning the paint, but (b) to also make the paint go off more quickly. Only a small amount is needed, but is particularly useful when painting outside when you wish to cure the paint before any dew or condensation spoils your work.
BRUSH PAINTING
When brush painting, always use the best quality brush that you can buy, as the result will show to those who wish to inspect your work closely! When choosing a brush, differing ideas arise. Some prefer to use a large width, others a smaller one – it is all personal preference. I tend to use one in the middle, as I can put a reasonable amount of paint on the surface being done, without wearing myself out too quickly. It is your own personal taste here, however try to avoid using a new brush for a final coat, as bristles tend to part company from the holder and there is nothing worse than having to leave a blemish in your hard work. DO NOT try and remove it, as your final coat will be completely ruined and of course you will have to do it again. For best results, use a criss-cross action on an area that is manageable. This involves brushing from side to side, followed by up and down. This process is continued until the paint is evenly distributed over the area, with your final strokes being VERY LIGHT (laying off) in a vertical direction. Paint with the brush held at an angle of 45 degrees to minimise brush marks. During painting, the paint will start to cure on the brush, so to ensure consistent performance, clean the brush about every 30 minutes.
PAINT ROLLER
Applying paint with a roller is a fast method of covering large areas and the use of an appropriate roller head can produce excellent results. Where speed of application is more important than surface finish, a short pile mohair roller can be used. To produce a better quality finish, small diameter felt and closed cell foam rollers can be used. In all cases, a criss-cross method to spread the paint evenly is used. Rollers are often used prior to laying-off with a brush or pad.
PAINT PAD
With a paint pad, you can obtain an excellent finish. Both conventional and high performance topcoats are suitable for paint pad application. Whilst the paint can be applied directly with a pad, it can also be used for levelling off paint that has been applied by brush or roller. The pad should be used immediately after application of the product. Do not work the pad backwards and forwards, but drag it in one direction only, using vertical strokes to avoid any paint build up which may sag. This technique will eliminate almost all application marks and result in an excellent finish. In fact, the quality is as good as brushing, but with practice, a lot faster.
Unfortunately, there are some paints that this kind of application does not suit, so try an area beforehand.
SPRAY EQUIPMENT
It is generally accepted that paint applied by a spray gun, will give best results, providing the job is carried out by a skilled operative. Where possible, keep the job at a steady temperature, with low humidity; this is best achieved inside a controlled environment such as a shed. It is imperative that a full air fed mask should be worn. If you do not have the skill and the necessary spray equipment, it is advisable to leave the application of paint and varnish to a professional. However if you do, make sure that everything is masked up correctly so that no excess paint can damage anything that is placed in the vehicle or even nearby to the job in question.
CONCLUSION
If you are painting any surface, the preparation HAS to be done, however the end result will be quite satisfying for you, especially when someone comes up to you and says, “that must have cost you a fortune”. In fact it does, but not as much as you may have thought, as most of it will be in taking the time to do it, plus you will have the added knowledge of knowing that it was all your own work.
Good Luck and do use quality equipment – it pays in the long run.
(Article copyright - originally published in Vox Humana, the journal of the Mechanical Organ Owners Society www.moos.org.uk for further details about joining)
Things you ought to know about when ordering Pipes.
All pipes should be made of a long hole, surrounded by metal or plastic, centred on the hole.
All pipes should be hollow throughout the entire length – do not use holes of differing length than the pipe length.
The ID (inside diameter) of all pipes must not exceed the OD (outside diameter) otherwise the hole will be on the outside and unstable.
All pipes should be supplied with nothing in the holes so that water, steam or other stuff can be put inside at a later date.
Flanges must be used on all pipes. Flanges must also have holes for bolts, quite separate from the very big hole in the middle.
When ordering elbow joints, be sure to specify left or right hand otherwise you will end up going the wrong way.
Be sure to specify whether you want level, uphill or downhill pipes. If you use a downhill pipe for going uphill, then the water will of course, flow the wrong way.
All pipes shorter than ¼ “ (5mm) are very uneconomical to use and will require many joints. Normally these are known as washers.
Grateful thanks to the Society of Drivers and Enginemen (SODEM) for this little snippet.
Echtdamph-Treffen Köln Model Railway Exhibition.
Boz Oram
No, I’m not your regular railway collector, however I do have quite an interest in all things that people like or accumulate. Now whether it is actually 00 gauge or smaller or maybe up to some larger size like 7¼ or a bit bigger like four feet eight and a half, the end result is that I really appreciate that there are many people out there who spend literally hours in a workshop that is sometimes heated, but more likely it is a tarpaulin stretched over some scaffolding planks and creating something really worthwhile.
History in Harmony and Old Glory’s Technical Editor took a tour to this Exhibition with a few other places of interest besides. The thing that tickled me was that the tour was going to the famous Schwebahn at Wuppertal. Now a number of years ago, I had actually been there on a promotional tour for a company called Kaufhof who were celebrating their centenary in 1979. I was involved with a number of full sized traction engines and a couple of mechanical organs, and this tour was also going to this unusual edifice to monorail traction.
I must say that the exhibition in Köln was just chocca block with people exhibiting their wares, and the displays were quite excellent, with three in my mind standing out – one being a layout taken at a point in wintertime with the snow just white and glistening, but with the mess of slush wherever it was relevant. Another was the local Köln Model Railway Society’s grand railway network in 00 gauge and finally a smallish layout but with a very detailed logging scene with the local townsfolk and sawmill and a few Shay type locomotives chuffing up a steep incline. It was only when congratulating the operators that I found out that they were from Yorkshire! Elsewhere there were other marvellous set ups, however I found out that this is just a thing that happens only on the Continent – that being live steam being used on the track. From the smallest right up to the 7¼ inch stuff, there was no holding back and fortunately for the members of the Public, we were also allowed to travel the lengthy 7¼ network and inhale the clear aesthetic smoke. There was something for everyone which included plenty of trade stands selling lighting effects right up to the latest technology in machinery as well as boat fittings and allowing the 100,000 or so people to really get stuck into railway technology.
The next day was to be the excursion to Wuppertal and the Schwebahn overhead railway. As I said earlier, I had been here in 1979 for a tour with a whole host of traction engines as well as one fairground organ that had been asked to come over to Germany and promote the store Kauhof’s centenary. I had been on this railway with the old rolling stock, however time passes on and new carriages are now in use. It is used much like a rapid transit system that goes from one end of town to the other and for a minimal charge, you travel over the river that runs right through the middle of town. It is a remarkable feat of engineering that has stood the test of time and the townsfolk use it as part of their normal mode of transport and are very proud of their special railway. From here, we then went to the nearby Bergisher Tramway Museum, which with volunteer help; they are rebuilding their old trams and having plenty of fun and enjoyment passing on their heritage to newer and younger group of people. Situated in a sleepy little town, the volunteers were pleased that a group from the UK had made the effort to come and see the works of their hard labour.
On the Sunday, was to be a trip to the steam railway that journeys from Hattingen to Wergern Ost. Going up by train from Köln, we arrived in good time to catch the steam train to take us on our journey from one end of the track to the other and back. With the sight of the autumn smoke gently drifting past the carriages it was a fine way to finish off a truly excellent tour. I later found out that one of our group actually flew out of Köln airport and I read that the day after he flew out, the airport had to be closed due to heavy snowfalls!
OOPS!
From Nicholas Simons
Many thanks for the latest offering but just a small point of detail. The Salzburg Stier may be old but surely not THAT old. I think 500 decades is pushing it a bit!
All the best, Nicholas.
Never was my strong point, you know words, numbers and that sort of thing!
Finally
Yesterday was the birthday of No 530 Louis Hooghuys “Sharahazad”. Yes and in just a couple of years time, the instrument will be 100 years old, and if I make it at the same time, I’ll be 50! Looks like a good party especially as there will be a whole host of my contemporaries who’ll be the same age – maybe we’ll postpone it to the summer months though. Anyone got a field for the party?
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As ever, should you wish to not be included on this update, then please let me know at boz.oram@andover52.fsnet.co.uk and I’ll remove you forthwith. Conversely, if you know of any other people who would benefit or enjoy this email, then please get them to contact me at the same address.
COURTESY NOTICE
Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Update editor. It may be on occasions, necessary to edit material. In such cases utmost care will be taken to ensure that alterations or omissions do not alter the context of the subject or create a misleading or false representation. As a matter of courtesy, the author(s) will be consulted about major alterations. Finally, I am a bit dyslexic, which doesn’t help me with the spelling or grammar, so if you are struggling with the content, remember I’m also having the same problem on a permanent basis!
With kind wishes
Boz Oram
boz.oram@andover52.fsnet.co.uk www.historyinharmony.com tel +UK (0)8700 113994
Published on iMOD with kind permission of Boz Oram.
