Got around to test fitting all the electronics/control panel/keys. One thing I had to change was remove 1/8th of an inch from the keyboard lip so that it sat at the right height. Since it would have been super awkward to do this via machine (I could have used the standing mill but whatever), I chose to do this the old fashioned way. I cut 100 or so kerfs and used a chisel to remove the waste. This is actually a really effective way of removing material from a captive space. Everything fits now, you can get an idea of what it’ll look like from the pictures.
With that I could get on to the sanding sealer coats, I did 4 coats and am now waiting a week for it to fully cure before level sanding and moving on to top coats. Look at how rich that colour is! Woah. Couldn’t be happier with this Peruvian Walnut, and I have a tonne left over. Kinda want to do a guitar amp cabinet out of it, maybe one dedicated to this instrument. but anyways…
Between coats I spent time removing printing supports from the white Sharp/flat keys. Every key is printed except that last special C, which I still need to model.
Finally, this last Thursday, I perfected the model for the fader caps grip inlays that I’ll be using for making the ebony fader caps. It only took an hour to print a batch of 15. I have 34/29 of them so five extras to make some prototypes. I think I have a stick of Bubinga or cocobolo kicking around to make prototypes. Still think ebony fits best but those will look sick on their own. Maybe I’ll sell some custom fader caps I don’t know
I’m so close but work is still slow so no one here on Fridays for me to get a day in, which would mostly be spent sanding and polishing keys. I can work on finishing throughout the week(s) as it only takes a minute to spray a coat, there’s just a lot of waiting involved.
Finally got another full Friday in, and the finish line is in sight! Got the electronics all wired up and working correctly again, and spent the day sanding and buffing keys.
The only things left is print the two remaining keys and finish the fader caps.
Here it is playing through my guitar pedal board (some chase bliss pedals, a phaser, a Meris lvx, and a verbera), going into a mic’d up JC-22 and a tube mic pre.
working on some little detail, I busted out the Jeweller’s/Watchmaker’s Lathe and turned some Ebony Knobs with acrylic toppers/inlays, to match the sliders. I need to drill out the bottoms and add set screws to the sides for them to work, but I think they turned out well. I actually got this little lathe a few years ago and never got around to using it so this was a cool experience.
so as an extension project I’ve been kinda toying with the idea of building a matching/dedicated amp and speaker cabinet for this, the organ section in particular sounds great through a tube amp (synth section sounds a bit boxy). Well… I got a 5e3 Amp kit and a celestion speaker for christmas! I got started building the amp but it seems I have a bad power transformer (either DOA or my fault, no clue but it’s not putting out any voltage), so I’m waiting for a replacement, but I’ve already started designing the Head and Cabinet, to be made out of the same walnut.
never built a tube amp before, and seeing as we’re dealing with upwards of 360volts if you don’t hear from me for awhile theres a chance I’ve died from electrocution!
I’ve made some changes to the cabinet construction, like a removable closed back, but this is the aesthetic jist of it. I may have gone overboard modelling the amp chasis but its the hollidays and I was bored.
Just a photo dump of the matching amp. Should be finishing up the speaker cab tomorrow. Hand cut dovetails, Peruvian walnut, acrylic logo badge, etc etc. I’ve only actually spent about 2.5 days on the woodworking so far.
You’ll notice that it has a removable panel to make it open or closed back, I’m really curious how that sounds in different situations/instruments. Like guitar vs synth/organ.
Little brass cups are to hold the feet of the amp head. Whipped those up out of scrap.
Beautiful work!! And great sounds too thanks so much for sharing, looking forward to hearing and seeing more
I recently got a Crumar Mojo organ with the inverse keys. I was a touch worried they would throw me off but it’s been great. A little trippy in low lighting but I like it!
Why stop there? It would probably sound even greater through a Leslie clone
You’ll need a bigger house for your Leslie, of course!
I’d love one myself (as well a B3 adjacent organ) but, alas, space is limited at the moment so I’m happy with my clone. It’s probably a really interesting engineering problem though, which is partly why I put it out there
thanks so much for sharing, looking forward to hearing and seeing more
