Hi All,  For four years,  I have tried to come up with a simple organ
pipe design.  Every design I tried had one or more drawbacks.  I felt
certain there was a simple design out there, just waiting to be
uncovered.

When I was young, you could buy a wax flute for a dime.  In school
we were taught how to play the Flute-O-Phone.  This instrument was
a simple whistle with a tube attached to it.  The tube had eight holes
in it.  This flute could play simple tunes.  I tried to make this type
of design but it was too complicated.

Years ago my Dad brought home a vortex valve from work.  A vortex valve
can turn compressed air into hot or cold air.  After seeing this device
and five dollar laser pointers, I feel anything is possible.

Yesterday I was watching a PBS show about life.  The man was talking
about epiphany experiences.   He explained how you can be thinking
about something for a long time and suddenly the answer appears.  Well
it did!

Right after the show I was sitting thinking about organ pipes, whistles
and flutes when the design appeared!   The next morning the thought
returned.  I went to my workshop and built the pipe.  The pipe is a
cross between a flute and a pennywhistle.

The organ pipe is a piece of 1/2" PVC pipe with a 1/4" hole in it.
The hole is drilled in 1" from the end.  A piece of 1/2" doweling 3/4"
long is turned to 0.48" and put in one end.  This piece of dowel
(the fipple) has a 1/4" wide flat side.  This flat side can be carved
or sanded.  This flat side lines up with the 1/4" hole.  (See diagram.)

At this point, I am sending a drawing of the pipe to MMD.  The pipe
is perfect for MIDI or other experimenting.   The rest is up to you!
I have a use for this pipe and it will be used in my next monkey organ
design.  I invite you to make one of these pipes and to e-mail me.

John Conrad Kleinbauer

 [ I'll place the drawing at the MMD Tech site,
 [ http://mmd.foxtail.com/Tech/  -- Robbie