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New Organ Build Topsy 3

I talked to Peterson Today the maker of the valves, the bottom line was the battery voltage was low, the valves are working on the edge of the specs. The battery voltage was down to 11.8 voltas. Iput it on a cahrge for a few hours and it is working fine now
 
Glad it worked out. I look at the Universal plans and think that they look impossible, I can imagine the complexity of a Topsy 3. So many parts, so many things can go wrong. You are a braver man than me!
 
I looked at the universal plans and did not like the mechanical nightmare for the stops, and I wanted to go MIDI. I could see the price of rolls getting out of hand. The Topsy 3 is a real challenge just take one confusing part of the drawings at a time and take the measurements given with a grain of salt. In all fairness to John Smith I think his design is great, he is the father of organ design for the home builder, and I take my hat off to him. I have learned a lot from the plans and said many bad works in this build but it made the winter fly by and I will be indebted to him
 
You might have a felt stuck down DAMHINT or it may not be lined up right with the whole when you mounted the pipe

Well I see I should have read the rest of the posts before posting glad ya figured it out and it was a simple fix.
 
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Glad you found the problem and are back on track. I hate it when a problem happens that just doesnt make sense. It can drive you mad looking for the problem.
Now.....don't you all go saying bad things about the Universal, as I prepare myself to get started on one. LOL I'm sure I'll have my hands full with it as well.
 
Getting back on board

Hi Folks
I haven't done much on my Topsy3 for long time now, time to get back into it .The Electronics scare me to death, so here we go. I have the accompaniment pallet valves fitted, and now need to start the wiring ,what is your recomendations for the diodes?? Johns plans say you dont need them, BUT to account for future changes he would include them, What did you guys do????
Any help with getting me started on this part of the build would be big help .
(A good kick up the Backside might help :huh: :saythat:)
cheers
Graham
Auckland NZ
 
graham - Glad to see you back working on the Topsy 3. As for the diodes yes you need them to protect the decoder board electronics. I just completed the final wiring of the decoder board and will post updated pictures later today if I can.
Don't let the wiring get to you. You make it this far, there are a lot of people out there that will help, I know the plans don't go into detail on the wiring and the drawings are not to clear. I know how you feel I covered the bellows 3 times and I think number 4 is in the future.
Post some pictures.

ed
 
At long last I am posting some promised pictures of my progress on the Topsy 3. I hope in a month or 2 I will be done. I do look forward to your comments and will need your help when I do the final tuning.


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Mione Hill said:
At long last I am posting some promised pictures of my progress on the Topsy 3. I hope in a month or 2 I will be done. I do look forward to your comments and will need your help when I do the final tuning.


Thats very nice work, such neat wiring after just watching Johns DVD:pullhair:
I just got the diodes this morning, now have to find some wire, the computer looms all seem too short.
cheers
Graham
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Well, so far I have the wire, some fuses , just got a drycell battery, diodes as per plan, the decoder and register from Jay.
So to start at the beginning of the plans it says to build a power supply protection, anyone got a photo of that??
it says use an automotive relay !! what is that ??Jaycar where i get my electrical bits said they needed more info, as there is umpteen different kinds of relay, help please!
I told you i was an electronics DUMMY.:dunno:
cheers
Graham
 
graham wheeler said:
Well, so far I have the wire, some fuses , just got a drycell battery, diodes as per plan, the decoder and register from Jay.
So to start at the beginning of the plans it says to build a power supply protection, anyone got a photo of that??
it says use an automotive relay !! what is that ??Jaycar where i get my electrical bits said they needed more info, as there is umpteen different kinds of relay, help please!
I told you i was an electronics DUMMY.:dunno:
cheers
Graham
Click to expand...

Graham I think John has some boards made up for that. I was going to make some but have gotten side tracked. I just used a auto relay I got from the auto parts store here in the US
 
I finally got the glockenspiel mounted on the Topsy 3 today. It works mechanically better than I thought but the volume is very low. Is there anyone who has any experience with the volume of the glockenspiel or can offer suggestions with this problem.
 
Hi Guys
I have been having problems with the bass pipes , got them all made OK, but trying to sound them seemed almost impossible , but then I tried stoppers in the ends, and presto they work, but the stoppers are WELL down the pipes , did any of you have that problem? The smaller 4 are not quite so bad, but the large ones, it looks like i can cut off several inches,
Just started on the counter melody pipes, that should be fun!!
cheers
Graham
 
Graham that sounds correct. When I built my Senior 20 organ I built all my pipes a little extra length then cut them down after I knew where the stoppers would be. Just don't cut them too short......don't ask me why :(
 
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