Best laid plans of mice and organ builders

Hi All,  I think it was two months ago that I told you I was building
a roller organ using accordion reeds.  Well, today the reed blocks
finally got here!  The phone calls to Canada started to exceed the cost
of the reeds.  (A non-Internet savvy company!)  My check got canceled
but the reeds never came.  I was fearing that they got lost in Canada's
infamous postal service.

I decided to call and get the bad news, instead I was told my order was
not done yet!  It seems other work came in and the guy's daughter came
to visit.  I was starting to suspect the man did not work on any day
that had a "Y" in it!  Every time I called the guy about the reeds he
would make me explain what I was using them for.  He would also go into
a long explanation of how the reeds might need re-tuning, because my
bellows are different than the ones used on accordions.

While I was waiting for the reeds I decided to put the organ on the
side just in case the reed blocks were bigger than I was told.  Well,
I am unhappy to report they are.  I asked several so-called experts on
the Internet how big the reed blocks were, largest to smallest.  I even
asked the man who I bought them from.  Somewhere along the way they got
larger.  I asked how big the blocks were but instead I think I was
given the size of the reeds.

Well anyway, the reeds are here and they were packed in brown paper,
bunched together, and put in a bubble pack lined envelope.  I have
seen pillows packed better!   The note for each block is written on the
paper but not on the block.  The reed blocks are made out of aluminum,
but lack any real quality.  The leather check valves on the reeds look
like I did them without my glasses on.

In any case, I now know how accordion reeds look and how big they are.
Now I need to find a way to mount them, and I hope my bellows moves
enough air to make them sing.  I was told to mount the reed blocks
using leather beds but not wax.  I have decided to form a bed using
two gaskets made from thin cardboard.  What a hobby!

John Conrad Kleinbauer