Some pictures of the construction of a MIDI Busker

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My third

crank organ

- a MIDI Busker

I sold the first Busker after building Topsy, but

some years later I parted with Topsy as well

since my heart condition meant I had problems

humping the organ and its cart in and out of my

car.

Some further time later, when talking to John

Smith about a MIDI version of the original

Busker he was making, he persuaded me to

make one myself by sending me lots of useful

materials - so how could I refuse?

LATEST UPDATE

I now use an iPhone and Bluetooth instead of a

Palm

see - iPhone and MIDI page

The design for this organ was based on the original

John Smith Busker organ I built previously

You can find out more about John's wonderful work here

(It's a whole new world!)

The 15 front pipes of this 20 note

organ

The 5 rear pipes - before they

were mitred to fit in the case

An underside view of the

Windchest - showing the wiring of

the solenoid valves John supplied

The Windchest with its Perspex

cover that enables the solenoids to

be seen if the organ is held up in

the air!

The double-acting bellows - made

to Melvyn Wright's design

Another view of the bellows,

showing the actuating 'con-rod'

The bellows fitted into the rear of

the temporary case - used before

finalising the design

The windchest and pipes fitted in

place

Rear pipes mitred to fit in the case

The back of the case, showing the

winder for operating the bellows

and the 'electronics' shelf with a

trial arrangement of components

Second arrangement of the

components.

Final arrangement of the

components, with the Palm cradle

on a dropped down shelf

Interface between the Palm cradle

and the MIDI Control Board

The original pressure spring and

the external non-return valve fitted

to the top bellows because the

internal valve was unreliable

The final - weaker - spring that

reduced the operating pressure to

a more sensible 3 inches water

gauge

The rear of the final case- also

fitted with a Perspex cover so that

the internal 'works' can be seen

The front of the final case, showing

the finials - made from gold-

painted tops of old-fashioned

'dolly' clothes pegs - fitted on

pipes whose tops are visible

Page Top

Latest view of the organ interior with the lid off, showing

the iPhone ready to be taken out and used to control

playing of MIDI files - instead of the Palm used

previously

Wiring of the LEDs for the colour display. This

was done twice as the first time I forgot that the

wires to the connections on an IDC cable for a

25-way D Type connector do not go to Pins 1, 2,

3 4, 5 etc., but to 1, 14, 2, 15, 3, etc.

So the long, fiddly job had to be completely

redone - the second time I had it plugged in so

that I could test each connection as it was

made.

If you click here, you can see

and hear the organ playing,

with the addition of

COLOUR!

An alternative front is fitted to the case

I have a push-button that I can use

to turn the colour display On and Off

- which I demonstrate

The tune is called 'Sundon'