Hello.  I'm new to the world of roller organs although not to automatic
musical instruments.  My late father had picked up a roller organ
somewhere and it's been kicking around for a while.  I've finally found
out what it IS, so now I need to start the rebuilding.

From what I read in Todd Augsburger's book, it seems to be a Concert
Roller Organ with a bottom reservoir.  It's also got the baffle that
mounts over the valves.  It's also in rough shape.  I've posted pictures
of it here: http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/canthsrider/Roller_Organ/

The bellows are pretty well trashed; the bottom reservoir has a hole in
it you can stick your thumb through and the cloth on the exhauster
bellows is petrified and cracking at the creases.  The worm gear seems
to be okay but the linkage between the rear of the crank and the
bellows is broken.  And the top cover is off and there's no sign of the
hinges anywhere.  So, from what I've read (and what I remember from
helping Dad rebuilding 4+ player pianos), I need:

  bellows cloth
  leather for the flap valves
  hot hide glue and a way of keeping it hot (I have a lab grade
     adjustable hot plate that Dad used to use, so I think I'm set there)
  a way to replace that broken linkage
  glass for the cover
  hinges for same
  screws! (many of them are missing)

Cloth and leather I can get from rollerorgans.com, and hide glue from
Player-Care.com.  Does anyone have any suggestions about where I can
find hinges?  Or the correct type of screws?  The unit, as shown in the
images on photobucket, came apart without using a screwdriver, so I'm
definitely missing the screws to hold the unit in the case, and the
screws for the hinges and for mounting the baffle.

I also need to figure out what to do with the broken linkage.  I imagine
it's not something I can order, so I'll have to make one.  Any suggestions
on what kind of wood to make it out of?

Any other advice about sourcing parts?  Or the order of the repairs?
I'm guessing that I should start on the bellows first and then start
putting the case back together next.  Oh, and one other thing: the
veneer is coming off of right side.  Any idea what I can do about that?

Wow, lots of questions!  Hope I'm not too overwhelming with all the
questions, but I've never even _seen_ a working roller organ, and I
promised my mom that I'd try to get this one working for her.  Thanks
for any help anyone can offer.

Ross Schacher
Marlboro, Massachusetts
dwarven1@verizon.net.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]