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New Drawknob Console project

Building organ consoles for use with Hauptwerk, adding MIDI to existing consoles, obtaining parts, ...
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coupler

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New Drawknob Console project

PostMon Nov 09, 2009 9:21 am

Hi Forum,

Firstly I must thank the Hauptwerk community for your informative posts, and it is YOUR fault that I have embarked on this project. (Brett and Martin, you guys get most of the blame!!!) :D

I have had the (excellent) Midiworks CMK-2 3 manual stack and Pedals for a while now, recently complemented with a fourth manual, and although neat and tidy still a bit of a science project. With the announcement of the Salisbury Father Willis organ to be released by Brett some time in the future I decided it was time to plan a real console. I am no cabinet maker, however, after gathering as much information as possible and drawing up plans I have made a start. There are many arguments for and against a console for a specific organ. Having heard the demos of the Willis organ I was convinced this would be the way to go for me. Pipe organs in Australia tend to have that 'English' feel about them so I am quite at home with the tonal characteristics of the Willis.

I am not building a clone of the Salisbury console, however, it will have all (or most) of the controls of the actual organ. The idea is to have drawknobs for stops and intra manual couplers and trems, and tilting tablets for the inter manual couplers and other functions on the nameboard. I have decided to use syndyne drawknobs and I will have organ supply industries make up the tablet assembly for mounting into the nameboard. I will be using midi boutique boards for driving the solenoids and sensing stop positions. (Hope this is all going to work :!: )

Some pictures of the progress so far.............

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Stop Jambs been drilled. 3/4 inch Victorian Ash, 7/8" holes to accommodate Syndyne Drawknobs. I have used a 50mm matrix.

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Stop Jambs nearly finished. The division layout will follow the AGO guidelines, ie Left Jamb Pedal and Swell, Right Jamb Solo, Great and Choir

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Key cheeks in various stages. These have been a real pain to make as the keyboards have a 2 degree slope.

Image
Side frame laid out almost ready for gluing.

I will give updates as things progress (time and money permitting!!!). Thanks again to the forum members who have provided so much information through their posts.

CHEERS,
Cheers,

David Russell
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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostMon Nov 09, 2009 9:41 am

You have a formidable task ahead, and we wish you well. Looking forward to progress reports and pictures. There have been other such projects recently including other consoles and pedal boards being created. I enjoy "watching" from a distance but equally enjoy playing. So I opted to modify and MIDI-fy an existing console mostly for the sake of time. :)

Rgds,
Ed
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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostWed Nov 11, 2009 9:43 am

Looks great, I cant wait to see what the next steps look like! How much will all of this cost in the end?
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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostThu Nov 12, 2009 2:50 am

Hi Coupler,
Your project looks very exciting and will be most rewarding. As a fellow Hauptwerkian, and owner of a high end furniture making business in Melbourne (Aust) please don't hesitate to contact me if I can provide any freebie assistance with your project. My workshop setup could probably help solve any issues that arise. While my tradespersons do not come free, my time does. Please see my profile/website.
regards
Cooky
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coupler

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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostSat Nov 14, 2009 5:19 am

Hi All,

Thanks Cooky for your kind offer of help and advice, I may very well take you up as things progress. You are most welcome to come and take a look.

Here is a picture of the 'beast' so far. The frame is all but complete. I can not believe that it is pretty well square!! I have made a few minor screw ups, but nothing critical. Now a lot of sanding to be done before I can finish it. I will be using a clear polyurethane finish to show off the natural colour of the wood.

Image

More to come later....

Cheers,
Cheers,

David Russell
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coupler

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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostFri Nov 20, 2009 11:19 pm

Hi all,

Here are some update photos. Still a LONG way to go but at least it looks like an organ now. The 'to do' list includes knee board, name board, stop jamb covers, roll top, lid, bench etc., etc..... On and on but I'll keep going with it.

If you read this Brett, I would love a sneak look at the Salisbury screen shot if you have one yet. As mentioned in a prior post, although this console is obviously not a clone of the Salisbury organ, it is specifically for controlling your sample set when released. :D

Image

Image

Image

Image

Cheers,
Cheers,

David Russell
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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostSat Nov 21, 2009 12:33 am

My goodness, all this talent in Melbourne Australia. Inspires me to get to it and practice to really play organ!
Did think of making my own midi pedalboard, however the more I researched the less enthusiastic I became. Helped somewhat to discover that my Hammond organ had midi switches for the two manuals and pedalboard.
Now happily playing (learning to play) Hauptwerk.

Good luck Coupler, look forward to your progress posts.

Keith
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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostSat Nov 21, 2009 9:08 pm

Hi David,
It looks fantastic. I'm getting ready to start my keycheeks next week. Did you keep the brackets that came with the MIDI works keyboards and just cover them or replace them with your keycheeks? I'm considering not using the supplied brackets, especially since I like my three manuals level without the tilt. I think it would almost be easier than figuring out how to fit around the existing brackets, I can also have a place then to help support the key slips I also have to make since my keyboards came with keyslips.. I plan to rout out a section of the keycheek into which I can screw the part of the Fatar keyboard that attaches to the supplied bracket.
John
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coupler

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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostSat Nov 21, 2009 10:43 pm

Hi John,

The key cheeks were a real pain. I produced a little fire wood while making them! I did leave the keyboard mounts in place and routed the cheeks to a depth of 30mm to accommodate the mounts. Fairly tedious work, however, rewarding in the end. I used 45mm x 90mm Victorian Ash cut to length and ripped using a taper jig for the 2 degree slope of the keyboard stack. These cuts could be done by hand but a table saw makes the job a WHOLE lot easier.

The key slips are going to be another challenge. I am going to remove the CMK slips and wire syndyne pistons in place of the buttons used, installed in a wooden key slip. I still have to work out how to mount the slip.

Other folks using different keyboards have had excellent results. Check out http://forum.hauptwerk.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5312 as a fine example.

Cheers,
Cheers,

David Russell
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organtechnology

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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostSun Nov 22, 2009 10:39 am

Big job!
Complete Hauptwerk™ systems using real wood consoles, PC Sound Engines, Dante Audio for Home or Church. info (at) organtechnology.com http://www.organtechnology.com
Authorized Hauptwerk; Milan Digital Audio and Lavender Audio reseller.
USA and Canada shipments only.
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johnstump_organist

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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostMon Nov 23, 2009 11:54 am

Hi David
Thanks for the answer. I have access to a fully equiped woodshop {planer, joiner, two table saws, drill presses, enough tools and clamps to last a lifetime, etc.) in the retirement community where we live along with several excellent old-time wood workers who are always glad to give advice. That is the only reason I can even consider doing this project.
I have the wooden fatar keyboards and between the back of the sharps and the drop down piece under the keys there is an inch and 1.5 inches of height when the key above is depressed. For the key slips I plan to run a 11/16 x 1-3/8 strip of oak under the keys and put screw blocks on the inside lower edge of the keycheek to attach it to. Also, there are some cut outs in the bottom of the frame under the keyboard with screw holes behind them. I'm sure these are meant to hold brackets to support keyslips. I will either find angle irons that fit the space or put a biscuit cut in the back of the keyslip and run a small strip of hardwood back to the screw hole from the lower back edge of the keyslip if my strip of oak has to much give in the course of its run under the keys.
If they will sell them to my (or maybe Daryl will sell them to me), I plan to use Klann pistons, since they have reed switches.
John
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coupler

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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostTue Dec 01, 2009 7:16 am

Hi Folks,

Another quick update. I have done a little more and finished the “lid” and stop jamb covers. I am still deciding how to mount the key slips, but I am sure a satisfactory solution will present itself soon. The other major part to be completed is the knee panel.

I have ordered 16 drawknobs from syndyne for the pedal division (all I could afford at this stage) :( . For your information they are about $US40 each, including stems and engraved heads. I need 77 and another 25 tilting tablets.

Anyway, here are the photos.

Image

Image

Image

Cheers,
Cheers,

David Russell
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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostTue Dec 01, 2009 4:43 pm

Hi David - I rarely get the time to post these days, but just a quick note to say how marvellous your project is. You've done a fantastic job and I bet you're pretty pleased. I have been trying to build a similar 4 manual console for about a year now and have all the components (and a willing joiner) but have not found the time to get the project under way. For my console I will be putting two touch screens in the stop jambs so that these can display any configuration of draw stops. Naturally these won't have the same satisfying interaction of a real draw stop, but I am eager not to engrave stops for one sample set, only to find another one more pleasing in a few years. The couplers will be real illuminated tab stops above the solo manual, since these (for the most part) are consistent between sample sets.

All the best for the completion of your project,

James
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coupler

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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostTue Dec 08, 2009 2:40 am

Thanks James. I am certainly happy so far! Good luck with your project.

Well folks, another update......... I worked out a solution to mounting the key slips by using a small right angle bracket with a speed nut, simple and effective. I have made the Solo key slip and its ready for some pistons.

The bracket with speednut
Image

Key slip drying
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Mounted and ready for pistons
Image

I made a little more fire wood while drilling the key slip. I would recommend the use of a spade bit for anyone boring holes for pistons. They seem to have a cleaner entry than a large drill bit (11/16 for the syndyne pistons). My first slip was ruined by jagged edges on the holes.

More to follow...

Cheers,
Cheers,

David Russell
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Re: New Drawknob Console project

PostWed Dec 09, 2009 9:45 pm

Another way around the splintering problem is to drill a small pilot on all the centers all the way through the stock, then drill the larger hole halfway through from each side.
John
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