Organ

November 2020: The rain ...... Due to the increased humidity after the rain & a leak that wet the floor - our organ was out of commission. The humidity released the glues that hold the felts and some of the leather work together so we had to slowly dry out behind the organ. We couldn't do this fast otherwise we would damage the wooden pipes which we didn't want to do. Due to 2 other organs needing work in NZ, our organ joined the queue for repairs - mid to late 2021. When looking behind panelling, a similar problem occurred back in 1971 (maybe 1974), so its done well in those last 45+ years.

August 28th 2022 & our organ is back being played. The tone is richer, as the team at South Island Organ Company managed to make improvements on the repairs carried out in the 1970's following another big rain event. Overall they were impressed with how well the organ has held together. All 628 pipes, all wooden & metal, were reassembled over a three to four week period.

This is a mechanical organ with only an electric blower. Between the keys and pedals are many wires being pulled or wooden levers being pushed that open the stops on the pipes. Below are photos of the organ's return & it's reassembling. So much of the mechanical workings are behind the front panels. We have included quite a lot of photo's as no-one except the organ tuners ever get to see what is there.

When you open the puzzle box, turn everything face up

Start with the biggest bit - the bellows

The windows from the organ's perspective

Part of the levers to allow the air into the pipes

The levers on the other side - make it even

The largest wooden pipes in the organ, yes it has a right angle in it.

1st row of pipe in, more wooden ones to go in.

One key, to one wire, to another wire, to another wire, to another wire or pipe

Tidying up the cables to power the bellows

The front is starting to look like an organ

Same organ, same wood, brighter day, front nearly done

Starting to find a home, note the square wooden pipes

Bits that go vertical look weird lying down

Looks like more holes, more pipes (these sit behind the visible big pipes)

Oh, that's the bit from before. That's the way it looks upright!

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Trinity Methodist Church

Napier, Aotearoa - New Zealand

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