[ Ref. 050817 MMDigest, "Roll Player Unit on Yamaha Electone Organ" ]

Hi there!  The player system Ryan Meldahl is asking about is the
"Organmatic" player unit.  The units were designed to be installed on
almost any electronic organ, thus converting the organ into a player
organ.  The units were tubed to play 88-note piano rolls.

The design of the unit, however, reflected the thinking of the day.
The little valve switch assemblies used Perflex (yuck!) for the
pouches.  Unfortunately, the pouches by now have shredded, torn, pulled
loose, collapsed, etc., etc.  However, it _is_ possible to rebuild this
unit (I have done three).

To remove the player from the organ:

1. Unplug organ from the wall outlet.

2. Remove back of player unit.

3. On the bottom of the unit is a long connector that plugs into
a circuit board.  The wires on this are very fine magnet wire, and
it will be a small bundle.  Carefully unplug this connector.

4. Remove the flex vacuum hose from the main vacuum line.

5. At the top is a 3-wire cable with a connector at the end.  The
cable plugs onto a plug at either the right side or left side (right
side, I think).  Unplug it.

6. Pull the wires and hose out of the bottom of the unit.

7. There may be two wood screws at the inside top, holding the unit
to the organ.  Remove them as well.

8. The player should lift/slide off the top of the organ.  If not,
check for more screws, or the unit may be stuck to the top of the
organ.

Now, inside the player:

The valves are held onto the vacuum line with hot-melt glue.  The
switches/microswitches are also glued to the valve units also with
hot-melt glue.

Being very careful, the switches can be popped off the valves -- be
watchful of the very fine magnet wire connected to the switches.
Once the switches have been removed, the valves can be removed by
disconnecting the tubing from the trackerbar, then twisting the valve
and pulling to remove it.

Once the valve is out, look carefully at the valve.  You will see a
groove between the top and bottom.  Use a sharp knife to cut through
the glue (it is not epoxy, but something like Duco plastic cement),
then use a flat-blade screwdriver to pop the top and bottom apart.
Be careful not to drop (and then lose) the little plastic switch pusher
inside.  (You may have to use a small saw to cut the glue.)

Once the valves are apart, keep the top and bottom together.  All of
the valves themselves are interchangeable in the unit.  Once apart,
scrape the old Perflex from the inside of the valve, saving the bleed
cup in the process.

I used thin pouch leather to replace the pouches.  Cut the pouches
to size, then punch the hole for the bleed cup _off-center_, so the
bleed cup will not hit the switch pusher.

Glue the bleed cup into the pouch with PVC-E.  When dry, install the
pouches.

Glue the pouches into the bottom using PVC-E glue.  When dry, insert
the switch pusher into the switch side of the valve, then fit the parts
back together again, remembering which way the piece that glued to the
vacuum line was oriented in relation to the piece with the tubing
nipple.

Now, this may make some MMD readers cringe, but it worked, and this is
what the manufacturer used originally.

Using a Hot-Melt glue gun, I used the clear Hot-Melt glue sticks to
glue the valves back together.  Holding the valve together, run a bead
of glue around the middle of the valve, sealing it back together.

Using the same glue, run a bead around the fitting sticking out of the
vacuum line, then press the valve onto the fitting.

When cool, glue the switch back onto the valve, again using the
hot-melt glue.

If you removed the player from the organ, reinstall, then reconnect the
organ to the player.  You can run the unit without the back on the player.

Be warned: in the top section where the motor for the roll and the
electronics are for the motor, there is _live_ 110 volts!

At this point, play a roll!

The rolls will sound better if you turn on pedal sustain, which will
keep the bass notes from sounding choppy.

If you have any other questions, e-mail me!

Mike Carey
mcarey@surfmore.net.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]