DETAILS OF THE DEMAJO RESIDENCE ORGAN IN OUR NEW POST-KATRINA RESIDENCE

 

In the aftermath of the storm and twenty-one days of flooding that followed, my family was forced to flee to higher ground. In our new post-Katrina home in Hammond, Louisiana, a small community well above sea level, and north-west of New Orleans and Lake Ponchartrain, we were fortunate enough to have room for a small but respectable instrument. I was lucky to have had a second theatre organ console available in safe storage, and I was also able to get my hands on the pipes from a small Moller church organ that, with appropriate tremulant modifications, passed itself off well as a tiny theatre organ. With a little carpentry work, we soon had a case for what would become the Accompaniment Division of a new residence organ . Then I began the task of adding some additional ranks of pipe work that I was fortunate enough to find.

In mid-2006, after experimenting with building my own solid-state relay, I made the decision to invest in an relay system which has proven to be a good and relatively inexpensive system for controlling a home organ. Artisan makes systems for any size organ and I have played some of their larger installations at the Rylander Theatre in Americus, Georgia, and other locations I have visited. I am impressed with Artisan as a company, and their support has been outstanding. I have even added one of their sound engines to provide my 16' pedal stops since my lovely wife drew the line at installing 16' wood Bourdon pipes across our den ceiling.

 
 
This is the post-Katrina organ in its construction stages during late 2005. The Wurlitzer console is from Opus 1835, built for the State Theatre in Fresno, CA. The organ was later re-installed at radio station KMJ also in Fresno and eventually it made its way through Tennessee and Mississippi before I purchased it. The pipe work shown in the case is from Moller Opus 6457 which was originally the organ for St. Peter's Catholic Church in Carencro, LA. This instrument hit the surplus market when the church contracted with Texas builder Otto Hoffman for a larger instrument.

The next two photos are of the Artisan relay driver board and the main module board. This has proven to be an excellent relay for a home organ, at a very reasonable price.
 
 
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Many of you are already familiar with my chest experiments from articles I have written in Mechanical Musical Digest and other publications. I have been testing theatre organ applications of electric actions for years, and have now settled on a design which seems to work quite nicely. I have since improved the design a little as seen in the second photo.
 

Here are detailed views of some of my homemade pipe chests

 
 
 
My finished music room showing console and organ case exterior construction detail . I will have photos of a second case for the other division soon. In this photo, the swell shades had not yet been constructed.
 
Wall mounted 21 note Deagan chime set and overall view of drum portion of toy counter.
My new homebrew Toy Counter design uses electromagnetic action. I have been building and adding toys to the organ as I come up with new designs. The only toy that uses wind is the train whistle shown below. I have provided specific information and video demonstrations on the construction of each toy. These can be accessed by clicking the photos below.
 

 
Above, cymbal mechanism, siren and snare drum. Below, Base drum action and pneumatic train whistle. Electric actions are Delta Coil Company 28-465-502 and 28-468-502.
 
 
SHOWN BELOW, TRAIN WHISTLE AND COW BELL. Click on photos to see detailed construction information.
 
 
 
 
Here is my harp. It was salvaged from a flooded church in New Orleans.
 
 
This Vox Humana rank (above) was purchased and added to the organ in the spring of 2006. I have since added a metal tibia and a trumpet. Below is my homemade swell shade assembly.
 
 
En Chamade Trumpet was once the Clarion rank on Wicks Organ Opus #4633 (St.Pius X Catholic Church New Orleans). Below, portion of the Solo division showing trumpet and metal tibia.
 
 
My swell shade assembly which was also constructed in my home workshop.
 
 
In the Fall of 2007, I decided to add a real Bourdon for the pedal. The rank had to be mitred to fit under 8' ceilings. I performed that task in my own shop.
 
 
View my organ videos on "MY-TUBE"
 
 
Check out my other reference pages for pipe organ information:
 
MY OTHER HOBBIES
In addition to playing and working on theatre organs, I also enjoy collecting and restoring antique wireless equipment and 1930's-1950's old radio shows. Here are a few views of the wireless connection:
 

   
   
Room of our new home which houses the heart of the antique radio collection
Thank you for visiting our musical museum. We hope you enjoyed the visit. Please come back soon!
A FEW MEMORIES OF MY ORIGINAL WURLITZER
R.I.P.
.
 
Above: Devtronix relay assembled by my organ mentor, the late Phil Lyons, Jr.
Although it sat under salt water for a month, this brand-new Spencer blower was resurrected by a talented machinist, Rene Folse, and it now powers the pipe organ at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ponchatoula, LA. This and the Deagan chimes shown above were the only parts of the original organ that could be salvaged from Katrina's destruction.
My mother Edith (1915-2006), in whose memory this page is dedicated. For ten years, she shared her home with my pipe organ project, and she always was front-and-center at my recitals and encouraged my musical career. She was a member, and always exemplified the spirit of A.T.O.S.
 
Background music: "Everything's Coming Up Roses" played by John DeMajo on the DeMajo residence organ.