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MMD > Archives > April 2010 > 2010.04.01 > 02Prev  Next


Making a Wurlitzer Wonderlight
By Nicholas Newble

Hi,  This is my first post since 2005.  I only recently joined this
list again and I tend to lurk.  Anyway --

My imagination was recently fired up on seeing a superb YouTube
video, recommended to me by a fellow mechanical musical enthusiast,
of a Wurlitzer CX restored by Art Reblitz.  Apart from the inevitable
'I want one' feelings, I rather liked the revolving Wonderlight, as it
seems to be called.

So I had a go, just by looking at the video to get an idea of size,
at making one.  So far I've completed the outer mirrored ring, using
mirrored card.  A couple of photos are at

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/nickn5_photos/Mechanical/wonderlight2.jpg 
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/nickn5_photos/Mechanical/wonderlight1.jpg 

But obviously my measurements are may not reflect the actual thing.
I 'guesstimated' at an inner diameter of 5-1/2 inches (circumference
17-1/4 inches) with outer diameter of 12 inches (circumference 37
inches), which with 18 segments (I think!) gives a segment width of
15/16 inch at bottom and 2 inches at top.  The segment length I made
a pure guess, looking at the video, of 5-1/2 inches, with the inner
'disco ball' being 5 inches in diameter.

It would be nice to know what the actual measurements are, though,
if someone has them, particularly how far from the case front the
'segments' stick out when in place, and also what colour the backing
is to the mirrored segments.  It also looks like the real ones are
1/8 inch depth glass, with a shallow bevel at the outer end.  Again,
I'd be grateful if that could be confirmed or corrected.  Finally,
how are the segments stuck together on the real thing?

I have bought a cheap 5" diameter revolving silver disco ball (the
kind with 'jewelled' inserts and a bulb inside) which looks like
a pretty close match for the real thing; when it arrives I'll set it
all up and see what it looks like.  If I like it I might ask a local
glass cutter to see about creating the 18 segments from mirror glass,
if it's not _too_ expensive.

Nicholas Newble


(Message sent Thu 1 Apr 2010, 17:15:53 GMT, from time zone GMT+0100.)

Key Words in Subject:  Making, Wonderlight, Wurlitzer

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