Reply to Bob Meyer [030417 MMDigest]: It was good to hear of yet another
Universal 26 up and running, but even better to know that it will be
appearing at a rally soon.   I am currently encouraging amateur builders
to get together and the best place seems to be at our many steam rallies.

When we go to our rallies, our display not only entertains the public
but becomes the focal point for other builders.  It soon becomes
obvious that we are all tarred with the same brush, or maybe that
should be PVA'd...!  I am sure that when we have our own group displays
they will be very useful for all concerned.   When this gets going in
the USA I would be most interested in attending such a gathering.

Up to now we have been seen as a bit of a poor relation, but it has
become clear to me in the last couple of years that the real organ
builders of the future will be us amateurs.  It is obvious when I see
some of the beautiful small organs that have been made at home by
amateurs that we are probably the only people who are prepared to spend
the many man hours needed to get the truly hand made works of art that
some are.   Of course there will always be a place for the commercial
product, but I understand that many of these are now mostly assembled
from CNC prepared parts.

John Smith