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Ok understood but here's the thing I've finished one third of my bellows and doubt that I will take it apart and seal it now. I really think that the ply and glue are enough. However I will take head on the next organ I build but for now I'll leave what I have done alone. I've tested the single finished bellow part and it holds air real well.
 
What trouble I've had trying to find the missing valve leather to match the material I had. Since I am holding off taking the bellow apart I messed up on I needed to get more leather for the valves. I went to a number of places to find it but ended up an hr away at a tandy store and found what I need to continue. I also had the same trouble finding the 1/4" and 5/16" metal tubing for the tracker bar as well. I went to all the hobby stores and even the borg but nothing. Again with the hr trip and to a hobby store there as well and found it in brass. I'm now set to press on again. I'm laging behind due to these two things but am now going to be able to get going again with this build.

Since the weather is getting good fast I have just a few short weeks to finish this before I consider it spring up north here. So keeping my fingers crossed I'm going to get this done somehow.
 
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ed sautter said:
What trouble I've had trying to find the missing valve leather to match the material I had. Since I am holding off taking the bellow apart I messed up on I needed to get more leather for the valves. I went to a number of places to find it but ended up an hr away at a tandy store and found what I need to continue. I also had the same trouble finding the 1/4" and 5/16" metal tubing for the tracker bar as well. I went to all the hobby stores and even the borg but nothing. Again with the hr trip and to a hobby store there as well and found it in brass. I'm now set to press on again. I'm laging behind due to these two things but am now going to be able to get going again with this build.

Since the weather is getting good fast I have just a few short weeks to finish this before I consider it spring up north here. So keeping my fingers crossed I'm going to get this done somehow.
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Sorry I couldn't get the leather to you in time Ed but it will still be a couple of weeks before I get the shop put together. The rain here held us up almost 4 week to be able to get trucks in to pour the floor in the shop.
 
That's ok Jay I know your busy and I understand. I now have enough to make a lot more than what I need. However not the brown color you sent but who see's it anyways right. I did get to thinking about what leather is used for the bellows. Any ideas?
 
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ed sautter said:
That's ok Jay I know your busy and I understand. I now have enough to make a lot more that what I need. However not the brown color you sent but who see's it anyways right. I did get to thinking about what leather is used for the bellows. Any ideas?
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That is something I am going to look into more Ed. My leather supplier here is WAY better on prices than Tandy and has a much larger selection of hides. I can at times buy leather almost cheaper than the bellows cloth and get some very thin stuff that would work very nice for bellows.

That is also what I use and sell for Topsy bellows. :thumb:

It is on my to do list when the shop is ready ....................Soon I hope........:D
 
Well update to the build. I have working bellows!!! :) At this time I don't have the relief valve installed yet as I've yet to figure out how to connect the two pieces and at what angle I should cut the bottom. I'll have that figured out soon enough. Also the hose connectors I have made but will be making them over again as I made one hole 3/4" and am finding that either things fit sloppy or are to big. I may get a piece of 3/4" schd 40 and fit around that making the connection ridged some what. Not sure just yet. Also tracker bar is almost complete. Lacking sealing and sides but that should be complete this weekend. I tried an idea I thought might work (and it did sort of) where I place the gasket around the lid of the pressure box by inserting it into a channel cutout for it. I bought square gasket and made the channel to fit it snugly so it's a friction fit. However after putting it in I find that it's to ridged and isn't the right stuff. I'm back to the book looking for something as a replacement right now. We use this gasket material for our water CNC vacuums table clamps and it works real good but I can't buy from the manufacture so Mc Master Carr to the rescue this time. However I have to find the right stuff now.

I'm a bit behind as I wanted this to be done by spring but I'm gaining on it.
 
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Update to my build I have the bellows working and installed in the case. The tracker bar is all assembled other than sealing and top glued to bottom. I needed to file the square holes for the base pipes square and had a time of it finding the files. You would have thought they would be in the hardware store but I couldn't find them. Harbor freight to the rescue once again. I am now working on the crank so last night I had time to make the wood bearing blocks from the dimensions in the plans. However once made they seemed way to small. I went over the plans again to be sure I made them correctly. I made them correctly to the plans but when I laid them in the crank area I find them to be way off. Could someone clarify for me if the plans are wrong or right. If wrong what size should they be? If right I need help figuring out what they mount to or how they mount for that mater. I would like to get these correct so I can proceed with the crank.
 
I was looking at what I though was a great progressing organ for weeks now. However last night I noticed that I had made an adjustment on my build that was in though good however wrong. I needed to increase the length of the pressure box to accommodate the material used for the pipes. I did this adjustment by adding two inches to the bellows and pressure box. In thought it was a good idea. However after looking at the bellows attached to the sides I find that the increase, although good was not correct. I had added to the bellows opposite to the crank end but added to the pressure box to the crank end. This brings in the issue. The crank is not aligned under the conrod slot on the bellows. It is off about 1 1/4". I was wondering if this angle will work? If not I can cut off the additional material on the bellows and add it back to the slotted end and there by adjusting the bellows to be under the crank. Or making a new additional crank for the bellows and driving it from the now crank there by making an unusual set up and correct the problem without cutting the bellows. I know that sounds like additional work and engineering but it can be done and I have a good idea how to do it. The idea came to me from another site using homemade gears. I know that this is a build it as you want with in the guide lines of the "master plans" and I have done so. It won't be alike to any other busker and to me that's ok. Any ideas?
 
Well I found two gears that will work fine with the offset. I now need to make a crank and a drive shaft to do what I intend. I'll post pictures of the new design once I get it finished. It was a long search to find a 2" gear with a 1/4" bore but I found them and they will work perfectly. Although I would have liked them to be brass or metal for that matter I have them in plastic. Oh well maybe I'll search more to find them later but for now these will do.
 
I made my music order now I hope that this gives me the push to get the organ completed. I'd like to hear it play for all the work I have in so far. I've had to much other work to give the organ any time but time is comming and I want to be ready to hit the ground running.
 
Update, I have recieved the music from Melvyn and it looks great. Can't hear it thoughas I'm still building. Progresshas been made with the making of two cranks. One for this build and antother just incase. I have to clean it up and I'm thinking of blueing it like a gun barrel. Not sure how that will look but it shouldn't rust. I'm not the best welder but I think it looks fair for my work. I have to now figure how to mount it. If things slow down some in my life I'll have time for my build.
 
I just completed a John Smith busker organ ( Junior ). It looks and sounds great. I have decided to take on a build of the Topsy 3, the plans are on order should get here end of next week.
In the mean time I am looking for suppliers of materials and more important to connect with other people who have or are now building one.
I am retired with too much free time and a well equipted shop to play in.

Is there anyone out there still working on the Topst 3?
 
Mione, you came to the right place. First let me say welcome to the forum. Good group of people here. Jay Caughron will chime in here I'm sure. He is the "organ guy" around here. I know he has a Topsy 3 in the works right now. In the mean time we love photos here. I built a Senior 20 so I would love to see and/or hear your busker. Got any photos or videos yet?
 
Hello all, My name is Jon and I am from England. In my professional role I am a mechanical engineer, programming CMM's for the jet engine industry. In my spare time I breed tropical fish and make things out of wood and metal. My newest project is the Topsy 3 organ, which as Jay has mentioned, I spoke to him about yesterday. I am in the process of creating a cutting list and ordering the materials I need at the end of this week. I look forward to seeing the progress on peoples organs as a whole, over the coming weeks and months.
 
Welcome Mione and Jon. I really glad you are here. I have the plans, and important material to start a build. I've had them for over a year, but have run into an intimation wall. It may be beyond my skills, yet again it may not be. I'm hoping that watching some fresh builds here will get me going this winter. Please keep us posted with you progress and lots of pictures. Mione, your Busker is beautiful. Nice work.
 
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