Joyce Brite described a wooden music box which she saw at Wal-Mart.  I
received one of those boxes as a Christmas Gift.  Robbie was wondering
if it was a miniature reed organ.  It is not.  Although I can't see the
actual mechanism, from the sound I can tell that it is a music box
movement.

I tried to estimate the number of perforations that were across the
width of the paper tape and I think it is probably an 18-note movement.
There is a continuous tape folded like an accordion bellows, about
2-3/4 inch wide, made of a thin cardboard, which can be seen through
a plastic window in the lower part of the case.

As the perforated tape passes across the top of the mechanism I believe
it probably activates star wheels, or something similar, which pluck
the music box teeth.  One cannot actually see the playing mechanism,
and I haven't tried to take it apart yet, although I am curious about
how it works.

I can't tell from the grain what type of wood was used.  It is stained
a reddish-brown color.  It operates from a low-voltage plug-in supply,
and when the lid is raised starts to play.  It has a very pleasant
sound, but it only plays the Christmas carols on the non-removable
tape.

If it could be taken apart without damage it might be fun to try making
up a tape with one's own musical arrangements.

Howard Wyman