Hoping the wide knowledge base of this group can help me out.  Our
church organ has a set of 21 Maas chimes, electric action.  They
are brushed brass finish, with black plastic caps (what the striker
hits, actually).

Two notes do not ring clear (numbers 18 & 19, D and D#) and I thought
the problem was in the strikers or dampers.  Well, nope -- close
inspection reveals a crack a few inches long at the tops of the tubes.
Is it possible to take these apart and silver solder or braze the
cracks to restore the clear chime sound?

Thanks!

David Dewey
Oroville, Calif.

 [ At http://www.octos.org/ooth/repairs/chimetube/chime_tube_repair.htm 
 [ is an article that describes how to repair the chimes using a TIG
 [ (Tungsten Inert Gas) welder and silicon bronze rod.  "A possible
 [ cause of cracking could be found in the way the tubes are formed
 [ during manufacture.  The better grades of [Deagan] chimes -- Class A,
 [ B and C -- were drawn, but the Class R tubes were rolled from a brass
 [ sheet, shaped into a tube and joined at a seam."
 [
 [ -- Robbie