Practical Organ Building

by W. E. Dickson

1. The under side of the key-board must be 25 inches from the floor, or from the upper surface of the pedal-board.

2. The under side of the wind-chest should, if possible, be at least 15 inches above the key-board.

3. The middle board of the bellows should be fully 12 inches above the floor, or above any trackers or other mechanism connected with pedals.

4. The front edge of the key-board should project about 1 foot in advance of the panels closing in the lower part of the case.

5. Ample space should be secured for a large book-board by allowing a still greater distance between this front edge of the keys and the front edge of the sound-board above.

These are not quite all the considerations involved in designing the frame. The draw-stops and their connection with the sliders must be well considered, and room left for the requisite apparatus; and the position of the bellows-handle should be determined, and the part of the frame on which its fulcrum or centre will rest.

Fig. 23 gives, perhaps, the simplest form of frame usually adopted for a small organ. It is made of four distinct frames, united at the angles by screws, so that the whole can be easily taken to pieces. It must be understood that the key-board is carried upon two cross-bearers, leaving the under part of the tails of the keys accessible; and the sound-board in like manner rests upon two bearers under its extreme ends. If any longitudinal bar is introduced to assist in sustaining the weight of the sound-board, it must be after careful consideration of all the arrangements for the action or movements of the keys. Similarly, the entrance of the trunk must depend on the mechanism of the action and of the draw-stops. It is unnecessary to screw down the sound-board to the bearers. Its own weight when loaded with the pipes will keep it down, while a couple of dowels (short wooden pegs), one in each bearer, fitting into sockets in the bottom board of the wind-chest, will prevent it from moving laterally.

Fig. 23.

There is another form of frame well suited to small organs, and which we ourselves greatly approve. According to this plan, which is sketched in Fig. 24, the bellows are enclosed in a stout low structure rising no higher than the level of the key-board which rests upon its top. The sound-board is carried upon cheeks screwed or otherwise attached to the bottom board of the wind-chest either at its extreme ends or at points nearer to its centre, according to your plans for the action and the draw-stops. Or the cheeks may be united by a stout transverse piece or girder, the sound-board being then kept in place by dowels only.