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MMD > Archives > August 2025 > 2025.08.21 > 03Prev  (Last)


Seek Flywheels for 31- and 20-note Raffin Organs
By Wallace Venable

I've made a couple of "flywheels" for our crank organs from large,
spoked, V-belt pulleys. These are zinc castings. I used red rubber
air hose as a "tire" for visual reasons.

I built up the point on the rim where the handle attaches with
epoxy putty, and used a "file handle" with a 1/4-20 rod insert as
the crank handle. My hub is a bushing turned on a mini-lathe from
PVC plastic rod and slotted to mate with the OSI Strasse Orgel
drive shaft.

From the playing standpoint, the increase in inertia made no
difference, but I like the looks. To be effective mechanically,
you probably need a flywheel which weighs more than any small
20-note organ.

Wallace Venable
West Virginia

 [ Overall View of Crank Wheel for Erie Airs
 [ https://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/25/08/21/250821_101238_Erie%20Airs-Crank%20Wheel.jpg 

 [ Air hose tire for crank wheel on Erie Airs
 [ https://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/25/08/21/250821_101238_Erie%20Airs-Wheel%20Tire.jpg 

 [ Handle and mount for crank wheel on Erie Airs
 [ https://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/25/08/21/250821_101238_Erie%20Airs-Wheel%20Handle.jpg 

 [ Wheel hub for crank wheel on Erie Airs
 [ https://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/25/08/21/250821_101238_Erie%20Airs-Wheel%20Hub.jpg 


(Message sent Thu 21 Aug 2025, 17:12:38 GMT, from time zone GMT-0700.)

Key Words in Subject:  20-note, 31, Flywheels, Organs, Raffin, Seek

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