[ Ref. 090817 MMDigest, Seek Screw Eye Adjusters
[ I asked Craig to describe how the adjusters are used. -- Robbie
These are the key adjusters for a Denis Poirot barrel organ. The
organ is from Mirecourt, France, built around 1880-1900. You may
recall that I was asking for information about this organ and its maker
about ten years ago, without much luck. I started work on this organ
a couple times since then but I became discouraged because of the
magnitude of the job. Now, having restored a couple basket cases in
the last few years, I have mustered my courage for another go at the
project.
Of the 44 pipes, only six or seven are complete. About ten are
missing altogether and the rest are lacking fronts and at least half
of their other pieces (and the pieces that do remain are not glued
together). And the whole organ is full of worm holes.
Functionally these adjusters are just like the adjusters on a piano,
but they have a much finer thread than any I've seen. There are two
brass screw eyes for each key: the longer one adjusts the height of the
key tip from the barrel surface, the shorter one removes lost motion
between the other end of the key and the top of the sticker.
I have the full set of the shorter ones but about 18 of the long ones
are broken off because they were seized in the wood. Here's a picture
of the key frame showing the screw eyes and one of the keys, and also
a detailed scan of one of the screw eyes.
The best solution is if someone happens to have a few screw eye
adjusters in this size, or else maybe someone can tell me where to buy
some in this small size. Lacking that, I'd like to know how they were
made originally so I can make a few myself. I know I can probably have
them made but it would cost hundreds of dollars to set up for a few and
most places wouldn't want to bother -- and I wouldn't want to pay the
price.
Regards,
Craig Smith
[ I'll put Craig's photos of the tiny adjusters under "Organs" at
[ http://www.mmdigest.com/Gallery/Tech/ Related articles are at
[ http://www.mmdigest.com/archives/KWIC/P/poirot.html
[ http://www.mmdigest.com/archives/Digests/200103/2001.03.10.01.html
[ http://www.mmdigest.com/archives/Digests/199811/1998.11.07.01.html
[ -- Robbie
|
