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Wurlitzer 125 Roll Frame Dimensions
By Matthew Caulfield

In answer to some of Randy Wisnia's questions in today's MMD, I would
first say that Wurlitzer band organ roll frames, at least for the three
standard roll sizes, 125, 150 and 165, are basically all the same except
for the width of the roll frame and tracker bar.

Wurlitzer used standard castings for the side plates, even to the extent
of the castings having unneeded holes and screw fittings that were only
used for other machines such as their photoplayers.  I am working on a
Wurlitzer band organ right now that plays a 125 roll, and can provide
answers later to any of the questions that nobody else here answers
before I get to take measurements.

But the answer to question 3 is, Yes, the .1227" figure is correct,
nasty as that is.  To be precise, .1227" is not the distance _between_
holes, but the hole spacing on center, or left edge to left edge, or
right edge to right edge, whatever point you use to measure a hole's
position.  It is .1227".

The answers to questions 1, 5, 6, and 7 will be the same for any
Wurlitzer band organ roll frame, no matter the style of roll it takes.

As for question 7, you aren't going to be able to determine much about
the diameter of spool ends by looking at rolls.  Original Wurlitzer
rolls vary considerably in diameter, depending on when they were made,
even those that were all made from the same green paper.   Early rolls
tended to be long and needed to be played at a slow tempo, making them
last almost 30 minutes.  Rolls made in the 1920's and later had less
paper and are played a bit faster, bringing their duration closer to 25
minutes or less.  T.R.T. rolls were made on heavier paper and are
bulkier than the green-paper rolls.  The spool ends are big enough to
handle any roll made.

Matthew Caulfield
Irondequoit, NY


(Message sent Tue 14 Jun 2005, 19:06:52 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  125, Dimensions, Frame, Roll, Wurlitzer

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