Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > January 2000 > 2000.01.16 > 07Prev  Next


Cardboard Organ Pipes
By John Spradley

While studying physics at UCLA (about 1960) and spending every lunch
hour in the music library researching pipe organs, I ran across a
statement that Helmholtz built cardboard pipes for use in his studies
of sound.  As I remember it he was attempting to show that the pipe
material didn't matter much (probably only small pipes).  Can anyone
shed any light on this?

As an experiment I built four pipes from 8-1/2- x 11-inch manila
folders (thin, stiff cardboard), patterned after the 1-foot open flue
pipes from my Robert-Morton theatre organ.  I could not tell any
difference, but I never tried anything larger.  It was never my intent
to use them.  My kids loved them, while they lasted.

I visited a local commercial organ builder and saw bass pipes built as
a unit: four pipes between 4 foot by 8 foot sheets of 3/4 inch plywood,
with common interior walls.  I often wondered if it would be possible
to make one foot and smaller pipes by injection molding, as a single
unit.

John Spradley

 [ Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz (1821-1894), German
 [ scientist whose contributions in physiology, optics, acoustics and
 [ electrodynamics greatly advanced 19th-century scientific thought.
 [ (From http://encarta.msn.com/ )  -- Robbie


(Message sent Sun 16 Jan 2000, 22:44:05 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Cardboard, Organ, Pipes

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page