Back at it!

Opus 2 is here and what an amazing start I've gotten this weekend! To recap on the design, it is a fictional rock organ that will be made for my dad. It has it's inspiration from the Hammond organ models, i.e., the Hammond B3 and the like. However, instead of Leslie speakers, there are two boxes of pipes.

On this Memorial day weekend, I had three days to work on it. It all started on Saturday morning where I cut all my stock, excluding the 1/8in think stock. This is due to using a larger table saw which made it much easier to cut all the stock. The blade on it, however, is way to big for such thin wood. I left that for the Dremel table saw that I used for Opus 1.

Before I get into the construction, let me make a brief tangent to the stops. As you see above (sort of), the model will have 6 organ stops, which will be identical to the ones I used for Opus 1. Here is a video of me making a stop. Not the best quality, but you might get a better idea of how I made those suckers.



Now, on to the boxes. With the stock cut, they were very easy to put together. At the same time, I took the pipes (which had already been turned) and carved the mouth into each of them. Unlike Opus 1, these pipes vary in length and the mouth are all on the same level.







I then went ahead and attempted the sides. This required the use of the jig saw. I'm happy with the result, despite a shaky hand...





With that, I was on a role. So I continued onto the bench. It's a simple design. The only new challenge with this bench is the rounded edges all around the perimeter of the seat. I did this with the rotating sanding jig (technical term), which is part of the Dremel jig saw.



With that, the weekend came to a close. LOTS of progress with just three days of work. There's an old saying that I always heard growing up, "If you don't get better at doing something over and over again, then something is seriously wrong!" Thankfully, I don't think anything is wrong with me (in regards to the model, that is...) thanks to the past year's work with Opus 1. I've learned SO MUCH designing and making a model such as that, that any other model of this genre should be slightly easier.





Until next time...

Fin

SOLI + DEO + GLORIA

YES! I can now say that Opus 1 is OFFICIALLY 100% COMPLETE!!!!! It has now been mounted on the wall and looks great! First...the photos...

Now that Opus 1 is finished, I have two more organ models up my sleeve before I have to call it quits per se. I will save next weeks post to discuss and show progress on Opus 2.

However, this post is dedicated to Opus 1! The whole reason this blog was created! This model represents an entire year of thought, work, sweat and pounds of saw dust! More so, it will forever symbolize this (academic) year. A leave of absence from the vocation I love so dear. Much has been accomplished and yet I have still so much more work that must be done.

I could not have done this without the help of my father. With his help, expertise and tools, this model would not be where it is today. On the note of construction, I thank those co-workers that both taught me how to use a lathe and allowed me to say an extra hour after work "whittling."

Lastly, to all of you who have been with me from the beginning through this blog. Thanks for taking the time and interest in this hobby of mine. I would have never thought that, other than the US of A, the second two countries who have view my blog the most would be Russia and Germany. With that, I say Spasibo (Спасибо)! and Danke!


I close with a quote from Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI during the blessing of the new organ at Regensburg's Alte Kapelle (September 2006).

"The organ has always been considered, and rightly so, the king of musical instruments, because it takes up all the sounds of creation [...] and gives resonance to the fullness of human sentiments, from joy to sadness, from praise to lamentation. By transcending the merely human sphere, as all music of quality does, it evokes the divine. The organ’s great range of timbre, from piano through to a thundering fortissimo, makes it an instrument superior to all others. It is capable of echoing and expressing all the experiences of human life. The manifold possibilities of the organ in some way remind us of the immensity and the magnificence of God."

Thanks again and may God bless you all!

I Cannot Believe My Eyes

I regret to say that the model is not yet anchored to the wall for display. However, that is the next step. OPUS 1 IS 99.99% COMPLETE!!!! Let me explain...

First, the molding needed to be finished, glued and touched up.....check!
Second, all the parts needed to be screwed together to make it easy to assemble.....check!

Mounting screws holding the Ruckpositiv to the shelf

The only thing that I ran into is how to attach the Oberwerk to the console base? Last time I wrote about this, I would be gluing it after everything was assembled. However, if I ever have to take the model apart to transport, it will be very hard to remove that mid section if the Oberwerk was attached permanently. A solution...straps.

Yes, four straps (two on each side) will be screwed into the console base and the Oberwerk in order to better secure the Oberwerk without permanently fixing it in place. These will be put in place next weekend when the organ is mounted to the wall.

SO, at the end of the day, it was a family effort to set up a table to put ALL the pieces together. Taking a picture with the model laying down required a latter, but I managed to get some interesting shots. With that, I leave you a series of those photos.

Opus 1

Weird shot...yes, it's been rotated a few times.

Tune in next week for my final post for Opus 1! At the same time, you will find out the plans for Opus 2! Things are moving in the right direction! Until next time...

To Infinity and Beyond

Everything is coming together nicely and Opus 1 is nearing 100% completion. I expect next weeks post will be pictures of it mounted in place, on display for all to see. Like I said in the last post, the weekend was dedicated to preparing the shelf/choir loft. At this point, the shelf is all stained and ready...

...I would say the corbels are also ready. Although, maybe one more coat of sealer...

...and the molding is almost finished. I need to do around 2 coats of sealer followed by another round of the ivory/white combination.

So, what remains? I need to secure the brace that has been glued to the Ruckpositiv and paint it. This brace will be used to mount the Ruckpositiv to the shelf. I would also need to paint it red as well.

Following this...

1. The corbels can be screwed in place to the shelf
2. The shelf and corbels can be aligned and mounted to the wall
3. The molding may be glued to the shelf and any touch-up jobs may be done at that time.
4. The keydesk base can be screwed into the shelf. Afterward, the Oberwerk may then be glued to this piece.
5. Once everything is securely fastened and in place, the Hauptwerk can be placed on top of the Oberwerk, the two pedal towers are placed next to the center piece...

...and then you have a complete Opus 1!! It is amazing that a year has come and gone.

I've recently stumbled onto a phrase that is not commonly used here in the US of A. The word is Gap Year and, according to dictionary.com, can be defined as, a year's break taken by a student between leaving school and starting further education. Synonyms may include sabbatical, time off, time out and a year out. In my vocation, it may be called a leave of absence.

Call it what you will, but this year has certainly been a gap year and this model will forever symbolize this year of my life. It has kept my mind on this year and the personal goals that I set for myself back before I started this project. It has become a new hobby and I have learned a lot! However, the year is coming to and end. Though I cannot publicly announce what is the next chapter in my life, I can say that there will be enough time to potentially build TWO MORE ORGANS before this gap year officially ends.

I will go into more detail in later posts when I start them. However, to give you an idea: Opus 2 will be a fictitious "rock organ" for my dad. I spoke of this in a previous post. However, the design has completely changed. Opus 3 is a large chapel organ around 10in wide and 18in tall with 51 pipes. To put that into perspective, Opus 1 has a total of 171 pipes. Pictures and my usual rants about the history and designs of both will come in time. Until then, I thank you for checking out my organ blog and seeing the fruits of my labour.

Until next time...