Industry Services
We offer the following services to those in the organ building and restoration industry:
Outsourced restoration services
Replica parts
Spencer blower rebuilds
Click to open or download our catalog, which contains a sampling of parts, mechanisms and services we offer to the trade. Please contact us for current pricing.
Outsource Your Restoration Work to Us
In a busy shop with many concurrent jobs, it is often easier to send work out. Outsourcing affords not only cost control and peace of mind, it may allow you to take on a project without increasing your work force.
Studying the restoration work of others, and refining our own techniques, we have arrived at processes designed to yield maximum longevity from restored components. Our whole approach to pouchrail and primary releathering is geared toward preserving the quality and authenticity of original material while promoting the feasibility of the next restoration. Reservoir work involves not only careful preservation and attention to detail, but also certain subtle re-engineering to achieve better performance and long-term stability.
Our restoration services can be tailored to suit your needs. Components can be shipped to us for return service, clearing your shop for other work. If your workforce is already taxed with current projects, we can occasionally offer restoration service on a subcontracted turnkey basis. For this we come onsite, remove all components to be restored, bring them back to our shops for restoration and return to the job to carry out all re-installation and adjustment.
Order Replica Parts
One of restoration’s more time-consuming tasks is preparing replica parts: pitmans, pouches, valves and other small elements of electro-pneumatic action. Attention to detail results in work that gives the best operation, good margin of adjustment and a long lifespan.
Missing or mangled equipment? In a restoration project, we attempt to make new components so that they will assume the appearance of the originals, for uniform appearance and sensitivity to the builder’s aesthetic.
As with our parts, materials, glues and finishes follow in the spirit of the originals. For example, when providing new components for Skinner and Aeolian-Skinner organs, we use No. 1 grade California sugar pine, finished in orange shellac; in a Kimball organ, however, we would build from straight-grain white pine finished in clear lacquer.
Leather
We use only the finest and most durable skins, based upon current research, our own experience, and that of colleague firms. Leathers are chosen with regard to application, pressure and desired tensile strength. Chrome-tanned sheep skins are generally used; kangaroo leather is available by special request (check for availability and price). Valve leather is double-buffed for good glue adhesion and valve seating.
Paper and Discs
Fiber discs are used for all pouch work.
Adhesives
Water-soluble hide and fish glues are used in all cases where a perishable part is attached to a permanent element. Non-soluble adhesives are used where firmness of adhesion is desired and future renewability is not an issue.
Finishes
We finish all parts as befits their application and original construction.
Metal Parts
Springs and valves wires are replaced with the best quality available.
Have Your Spencer Blower Overhauled
While we’re not the old Hartford company that made Spencer blowers, we do love rebuilding them. Beautifully and sturdily constructed, the Spencer Orgoblo blowers exude all the confidence of the late industrial age. With proper rebuilding and balancing, they run cool and smooth, giving every indication of indefinite lifespan.
Motors are sent to a Boston colleague for bearing work, balancing and re-winding as applicable. Housings are cleaned, sand-blasted and repainted. Fans are checked for stability and shaft-balanced. New jute padding is provided on base blocks.
We gladly work on any size of Orgoblo, even down to the smallest one-quarter-horsepower Orgoblo Junior used for voicing jacks, vacuum-action consoles or practice instruments. Generally, we prefer machines fitted with three-phase motors. Single-phase Century motors with centrifugally disengaging commutators are treated on a case-by-case basis.