Thanks to everyone who's replied to my questions!  I do have some more
questions if you don't mind.

> Fortunately, from your excellent pictures it looks like the mechanism
> is intact and complete.

Ref. http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/canthsrider/Roller_Organ/?action=view¤t=DSC00054.jpg

There appear to be a couple of small pieces of wood, less than an inch
long, that I can't figure out where they go.  Your comment about the
center piece of the top made me realize where the long piece in this
picture goes; it supports the cover and is screwed to the side of the
housing.  I'm missing the one for the other side, but that's no problem
to fabricate.  The small piece just above the cob in that picture is
a mystery, though, as is the small piece in the upper right with the
screw sticking out of it.  When I referred to this unit as a basket
case, I really wasn't kidding - the pieces were in a box!

> When you order supplies like bellows cloth and leather, be sure
> to get enough for this "rarer" machine; it requires more than the
> later Concerts.

I was wondering about this from some of the comments you made about
construction in your book.  Thanks.

> You can also get a set of felt/leather valve pads ...

They seem to be "live" still, soft and not dried out.  I had been
thinking that I would hold off until I saw how they sounded.
Not a good idea?

> The broken linkage will not be difficult to make, especially since
> you have the old piece as a template.

Any ideas on what kind of wood would be best?  Maple?  Oak?

> Speaking of screws: most hardware stores will carry enough variety
> to replace the screws you're missing; there's nothing unusual here.
> In your pictures I did not see any hinges missing; the center panel
> is rigidly mounted, and the front and back lids are each mounted
> with two fancy hinges (which, believe it or not, are still a stock
> design at many hardware stores).

Closer inspection reveals that there are countersunk holes, two on each
side of the main "deck", so the ones that hold the unit into the case
are obviously flat-head wood screws.  I'm guessing that brass ones will
be correct material, given the age of this unit.  Any idea what kind of
screws should be used for the baffle?  The holes aren't countersunk, so
my guess would be round-head, but that's only a guess.  If I'm going to
do this rebuild, I want it done _right._

> Yes, fix the bellows and flap valves and get the mechanism into
> working order.

Should all the exhauster bellows be separated from the "deck" and the
reservoir prior to recovering?  I'm not sure how far down to strip this
thing.

Ref. http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/canthsrider/Roller_Organ/?action=view¤t=DSC00070.jpg
http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/canthsrider/Roller_Organ/?action=view¤t=DSC00071.jpg

As shown in the photos the lower exhauster bellows and the reservoir were
connected to the rest of the unit by some small nails and (I presume)
hide glue.  (If it was glued, the glue had broken long since.)  Are the
nails correct for this unit, or should I only use hide glue?

From the looks of how the unit is put together, I'm guessing that the
order of repair should be:

- Remove all the exhauster bellows from their various attachment points;

- Recover them;

- Attach them to the "deck" (or whatever that piece that the crank and
the valve block is mounted to is properly called) and the reservoir;

- Attach the reservoir and the lower exhauster bellows to the deck and
upper bellows unit;

- Recover the reservoir.

Does that sound about right?

> Look closely at the reed block: there's usually an ink-stamped
> or hand written manufacturing date there.  Additional questions
> are welcome.

Do I have to remove anything more to find this date?  I don't see
it anywhere the way the unit is currently dismantled.

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