In a message dated 97-11-22 18:46:18 EST, davidcausier@worldnet.att.net
 wrote:

> I am a woodworker with an interest in music boxes. I have many large
> Reuge movements that I'd like to put in boxes that I make. Can you point
> me to any source(s) that discuss or provide instruction about making
> music boxes? Thank you.
> --
> David Causier/Seal Beach/California

David:

I assume that your large Reuge movements are of the 72-note (3-tune) variety.

I know of no literature that describes how to build a musical box.

There is some discussion in musical box literature about restoration of cases.
Some examples include:

Chapter 8 in Ord-Hume's 1967 book Collecting Musical Boxes and How to Restore
Them (4 pp), contains a discussion of case restoration,

Chapter 4 of Ord-Hume's 1980 book Musical Box A History and Collector's Guide,
 pages 91 thru 96 describe the development of the cylinder box cases,

Chapter 5 of Ord-Hume's 1980 book (companion to the above title) Restoring
Musical Boxes (11 pp), discussion of case restoration,

Chapter 8 of Bulleid's 1987 book Cylinder Musical Box Design and Repair (14
pp), again, case restoration, and in Chapter 1 there is some discussion about
musical box theory, much of it devoted to the mechanical aspects of musical
boxes, but also with some mention of how the case affects the quality of the
music.

Chapter 8 of Bulleid's 1994 book Cylinder Musical Box Technology (10 pp),
again on case restoration.

But this material will give you only a little insight into building one from
scratch.

There is a fellow named Charles Hind who resides in South Carolina here in
the US, who built a marvelous cylinder musical box from scratch, including
the case and the movement.  He might be willing to share some of his research
into this subject and offer some good advice.  If you will send me your
mailing address I  will forward a copy of this note to him and ask if he
would contact you.

Meanwhile, the best advice I can offer is that you observe the way some
antique musical boxes were made and copy those techniques.  The next hurdle
is to find some...

Alternatively (or in addition) you can look at the way Reuge does it and make
your own.

Either way, both the former and current manufacturers have good designs that
allow the music to be heard well.  Inlays and fancy stuff (like serpentine
designs and such) serve to please the eye.  The music is unaffected by these
'extras'.  Early fruitwood boxes were used with good success musically - they
were plain and unadorned.

Good luck - and let me know how you do.

Bill Wineburgh