OK, time for some progress pics:
I built the cases using the pipe jig suggested by Jay -- it worked very well, keeping everything square. The cases are poplar, with walnut fronts.
My wife is in the AGO (American Guild of Organists), and we have been on several pipe organ factory tours. I noticed that at one of them (Otto Hoffman Organs, Austin, TX) they were using shellac to seal the pipes. I decided that would make a good seal for my pipes, so I used it. I found some clear shellac, which kept the pipes from getting the characteristic shellac orange color. I also decided to seal them well, so I bathed them in the stuff. I knew I was going to touch up each of the languids later, so I didn't worry about them getting "shellacked"
I just put them in an old soda carton, where they dried nicely in an hour or so. Tooting on them later seems to prove the point, as they sound pretty good.
I built my manometer, which seems to work well. I tried it out, and was able to get a smooth 6-7 inches. I think I will voice the pipes there. I mitered the three largest pipes, which went well. I used the shellac-bath method on them, which should assure a good seal inside.
I have laid out the pipes in the way I want to mount them -- all 17 of the smaller pipes for show across the front of the organ, spaced on their centers. Jay has done this before, and is looking for some pictures to give me some ideas on how he did it. Side to side they fit, but I think some accommodation has to be made for the height of the larger pipes -- we shall see.
I guess all this is getting to be old hat by now for all you guys who have been there before, but it's exciting to get near the point where it should make some noise.