Wurlitzer Style 32-A Concert PianOrchestra
The Slow Assent from the Ash Bin -- (Milhous
collection, 1989-1990)
(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson) With a Concert PianOrchestra pipe chest lurking in the foreground of the Milhous Brother's restoration workshop, Noel Burndahl, who, at the time was in change of the restoration job, is visible diligently working with some sort of equipment at the back of the workshop. |
(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson) View of the Milhous restoration workshop, with a new piano harp for the Wurlitzer Concert PianOrchestra under construction. The new structural cross-brace ribbing for the harp assembly is being glued in place. On the table in the background are drum hoops and other miscellaneous parts from the PianOrchestra. |
(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson) A new board for the moving half of a wind-pressure bellows. Three such boards are required, one for each set of pressure bellows. Here, the individual parts are ready to be glued together and then trimmed to size. The four groups of holes drilled within the center section will be covered with spring-tensioned leather straps, which will then serve as intake valves for the pressure bellows. |
(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson) The new structural shelf for supporting the large rectangular wind-pressure reservoir and (at right) the square vacuum reservoir. The set of three wind-pressure bellows will eventually be attached beneath the wind-pressure reservoir assembly. The vacuum feeder bellows portion of the overall feeder assembly sits in a separate framework that is attached to the base of the main chassis. |
(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson) The wind-pressure feeder bellows have been attached to the bottom side of the pressure reservoir, and the interior of the reservoir is sealed and the feeder air-exhaust valves finished and in place. The smaller vacuum reservoir has been leather covered, but the top panel is still missing. The block on its side is the vacuum release valve. The next step will be to fit the reservoir top, which consists of a flat board glued onto an air-tight leather seal. |
(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson) Looking down inside the wind-pressure reservoir provides for a good view of the feeder bellows air-exhaust valves, which consist of leather strips held mildly taught by small coil springs attached at one end. Each valve strap is held gently in place by thin strips of leather spaced equally along its length. The loose part of the long jointed hinge (at picture top) will connect to the reservoir top, to insure lengthwise stability as the reservoir inflates and deflates. |
(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson) Here the new vacuum feeder bellows are nearing completion. The large rectangular hole in the center of each feeder will be fitted with a wood block drilled with two parallel set of holes, each of which will be covered with a leather valve strap, which will, in turn, act as air exhaust valves for the vacuum feeder bellows. |
(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson) The vacuum feeder bellows are now attached to the bottom of the main chassis, directly beneath the future location of the newly rebuilt wind-pressure bellows. The air exhaust valves sit squarely on top of each feeder assembly, and the mechanical attachment to the crank-rods are fixed at the font of each vacuum bellows. |
(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson) Twenty-six newly manufactured reed boots for the PianOrchestra's saxophone (bassoon or fagott) pipes rest in a neatly stacked pile. Metal resonators, basically consisting of two open ended cones connected at their base, have yet to be re-made. |
(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson) The main chassis for the PianOrchestra with many of the major structural components re-manufactured and back in their place. |
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