To Larry Smith and Peter Smakula.  I'm a bit perplexed --  what is
really your goal: to make a cylinder of music or to develop brand-new
techniques?

In digest 950802 Larry says, "this is the 90's and we can do better
[than a hand-made instrument]."  But in digest 950807 you say you
want to build the music box by hand, and hint that you don't want to
address the costs of doing the job with minimum labor and commonplace
machine tools.  Why not?  There are capable and modern machine shops
in every community;  you just pay for their services and get the job
done.

The experienced engineers I spoke with agree that numerical
controlled (NC) machining is the most economical way to produce a
music cylinder, and for a single (custom) job the pins can be
installed by hand.  These same engineers also enjoy old cars, old
clocks and old-tyme music machines, and they all agree that music box
collectors aren't likely to accept a music cylinder that isn't made
of brass with steel pins.

Your original topic -- using computer technology to make new music
cylinders -- has indeed aroused interest, and I'm sure that Danilo
Konvalinka and others performing serious restorations will be very
interested in a cost-effective method.

If you will provide the information (dimensions & tolerences, etc.)
to completely describe a typical music cylinder, then I can get you
the cost of making it.  The finished product should satisfy the most
critical customer, and the cost of producing the music cylinder will
easily be recovered in the increased value of the restored music box.

Best regards,

Robbie Rhodes  <rhodes@foxtail.com>  8 August 1995