Mike Knudsen asked about church pipes as band organ pipes.  I thought
I would toss in my two cents.  Some of his points are valid with some
caveats.


>> - Church pipes just won't sound right in a band organ


This is because of scale and voicing.  A good pipemaker or voicer can
rescale and revoice pipes to do anything you want.  The
diameter-to-length ratio or interior air volume determines the scale.
Thin scale pipes sound like a strings -- violins or voix celeste pipes
are an example.  Wide scale pipes sound like Tibia, or Bourdon.
Of course, nicking and other things done around the mouth amplify or
suppress tonal qualities.

Pressure often determines the tone quality.  Low pressure church
pipework will have low cut-up on the mouths.  The cut-up is actually
cutting the upper lip to set the pipe for the pressure used on the pipe.
You have proportional dividers so that you can measure the width of the
mouth and the other end of the device allows you to score the line for
cutting at a ratio that is desirable for the pressure and tone you want.
In classic pipework, that can be 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 cut-up ratio.

Most band organ builders who use old church pipes don't have a clue
about pipe voicing and that is why the line, "don't sound right", is
repeated the way it is.  Those band organs that use church pipes
sometimes take pipes voiced for 2 inches water lift and try to play
them on 8-10 inches.  That dog just don't hunt.  The pipes will overblow
to the octave or the fifth, or will sound weak if they play at all.
Correctly selected and voiced pipes will work just fine.

By the way, the higher the pressure the more necessary the arch is in
the mouth.  The cut-up ratio is the same but instead of being straight
across, the top lip has an arched line with the highest part of the
cut-up being only in the center.  This achieves the  correct cut-up but
gives the pipe a "grip" on the tone keeping the tone from flying off to
a partial on the high pressure.


>> - Metal pipes won't survive in a mobile organ


Many band organs use metal pipes.  Unless you are doing an historic
copy of a band organ, use them.  They are easier to revoice than wood
pipes.  Metal pipes do bend.  Unless I were trying to build an organ
that could withstand vandalism, I don't think this would be a problem.
If you are disassembling really often to move it wood will do better
but I can't think of another reason.


>> - Metal pipes are too darn heavy; you'll never be able to move the

    beast once it's built;

I can't tell that at all.  When I move organs I seem to notice that
unless the pipes are made of solid lead (for a fat dull sound usually)
they are actually lighter than most wooden ranks.  They take up less
space oftentimes.  I would use woods for bass because they can be
mitered and bolted down easier than metal.

It is easier to get a hole that leaks in a metal pipe.  A pipe with any
hole in it will fly up to a partial and not play the fundamental pitch
you wanted.  Some "harmonic" pipes have a hole drilled in one or both
sides right in the center of the length.  This gives a pitch an octave
higher than the length would be.  It also gives a breathy tone to the
sound.

Also remember you don't need a 61-pipe rank in a band organ.  Weight
should not be a problem.

Your other ideas sound really interesting and should work fine.

D.L. Bullock    St. Louis
www.thepianoworld.com