Many thanks to the two subscribers who provided information about the
disposition of J.C. Deagan chime products.

In response to Tom Grace's inquiry about suitable blowers for one-rank
pipe organs, in the past I used small replacement vacuum-cleaner motors
available from W.W. Grainger.  I built a square enclosure around the
exhaust and since these are bypass motors, the motor did not heat up
the pressured air.  These small blowers are very efficient and so for
my application, a 42-note calliope using Ragtime Automatic Music's
plastic calliope pipes, I had to use a triac speed control to bring the
rpm's down 'way low!

Of course, I built a small reservoir on the bottom of the calliope
chest and used Kimber-Allen axial chest magnets for plenty of reserve
power, should my customer desire to blast away.  In actual performance,
this system was so efficient that the blower noise was very low and not
noticeable when the calliope was playing.

A few years ago, Ragtime sold (I think) 42 plastic calliope pipes.
I could not get the lowest 5 pipes to speak promptly.  The other 37
pipes spoke very well and were very loud!  For the price, I thought
they were a good bargain.  I still have a set left waiting for the next
calliope customer (but I'll only admit to 37 notes speaking properly).

The point about building only authentic bellows pumps to supply
pressure for calliopes and other automatic musical instruments is fine
for those who have the time to invest in such endeavors.  More power to
them.  Our customers have no such requirements and would prefer newer,
more efficient wind supplies, such as the vacuum cleaner motor blowers
referred to above.  The rotating fan blowers obviate the need for
making steel crankshafts, installing a separate motor, building the
bellows proper with suitably-thick cloth and so on.  Where modern
technologies are available for less expensive automatic musical
instruments, why not use them?

In 35 years of this hobby, I have yet to encounter the Food and
Beverage Director who insists on authenticity for his or her lobby
piano.  In fact, none of them have ever requested a paper-roll piano
because no one will change the rolls!  Moreover, when the cassette
operated Pianocorder System was in production, we sold a large number
of 7-cassette automatic changers for hotels that wanted reliable,
long-play repertoires from their lobby grand pianos.  The changers held
up fairly well as long as the management rotated the cassettes every
three to four days.  Unfortunately, even such a low level of attention
was more than some facilities could provide!

Regards,
Bob Baker
Libertyville, IL