It needed to be Black – like space… without the stars. I was timid, but eager to begin to say the least.

I rode over to Ace and talked to the guys there. “I’m looking for a paint to last. Something to replace a paint from an old organ I’ve got…” I probably tried to get them enough information without making them think I’m trying to brag about some pet project I’ve got… I don’t know if it worked or not. They sold me some paint though. I rode back home and pulled out the piece, newly cleaned, still sitting on the chairs inside where I had last placed it to dry. I then took it outside and readied my things.

Taped off the sections I wanted to stay paint free and somewhat ‘original’ and went to town. The paint job was sloppy… but it did the trick. This piece is easy to get to so redoing it in the future shouldn’t be too harsh.

Today was my first real test, I felt, of how well I could take things apart, clean them up, and put them back together. I fell like I did a good job of taking it apart… but more importantly I was wise enough to take pictures ahead of time for to put it back together in the future.

(here you can see the mechanisms that the draws push around behind the scenes)

So off came the parts…

I pulled all the blocks off the piece. They were so perfectly crafted and yet so simple. Each one was perfectly placed and was gently lined with a small piece of felt which, for the most part, was numbered and needed to be replaced. Then off came the little arms and levers. And I piled them and prepared them for cleaning. It became apparent once they were no loner in their place how important these photos I took where going to be.

…moped up the dust, and cleaned some felt…

… and into the water it went. I hope Tucson’s water is clean enough for this process…

… and a quick look at the wood after it’s brief sink shower. It was like bathing a baby. Gentile, yet deliberate.

The glue dried on the other parts and I continued to inspect the pieces and asses the need for repair.

Today I looked over the larger vent cover. Just as weatherd as the other parts, I started to get use to the fact that all parts needed to be refinished. The fabric on this piece was also on it’s way out, full of tears and rot. I started right away and removed what looked like aftermarket thumb tacks, used as a temporary fix once upon a time.

The wood looked gnarly and needed some serious cleaning up.

I moved on to the headboard – the main visual piece of the insturment. It was in need of some reattachemnt, but nothing some wood glue and time couldn’t fix.

While waiting on the wood glue for the headboard, I rallied up the stain and moved some parts that didn’t need the time. The keyboard cover, which I had previously glued, and the … (music holder? I don’t know what these parts are called.. look at the pictures)

Sanded, Masked, and Stained.

Old and shabby.

New and Shiny.

With a pile of pieces off the structure I could now investigate the problems and begin to assess the rebuild. I started with the easy pieces.

The keyboard cover was cracked across the front, putting a split through the manufacture’s label. The wood was also quite weathered. My first repair was to lightly sand down the piece and clamp the split with wood glue until strong.

Second I checked out the he topmost decorative vent (for lack of a better name).

It was well beaten and the fabric soiled. Further it too was cracked and the locking mechanism looked stiff and immobile.

Lastly I inspected the petals.

The fabric was worn through, as would be expected, and there were some signatures on the bottom, or notes.. writing none the less.

I’m moving fast on this puppy, tearing it down and doing some mild cleaning on my way. I’m thinking I should start some refinishing soon, but first I want to see the innards of this sucker and the best way to attack it’s defiencies.

Here you see the mechanisms from the draws the actuate the doors on the reeds to change sounds.

Here are the petals. One source of the organ’s unworkiness. You can see the right petal is loose, That shall be fixed.

The billows, the part the moves the air past the reeds. This is a before and after shot. Right side has been cleaned (I’ve also removed a deterorated leather strap), while the left side as I got it.