Re: Wonder Calliopie Works, Model #1

This was basically a weekend project that kinda got out of hand...LOL...

Some of the recordings are ***... The first mic I used had low output, was
WAY to close to the solonoids and picked up a ton of 120hz, that I DIDN'T
hear on a confidence test on my crappy laptop speakers. In real life there
are no issues.

Valve speed is no issue they will open and close at close to 100hz against
30 PSI, I know what you are saying but you are bassackwards on #1, it was
way low pressure about 5 PSI, it was a new mic with a lot more output so I
was trying to to keep it from clipping even when it was placed 2 feet away,
that's part of what you are hearing, more "room" and less "pipe"...

I'm a high pressuere man, aiming for a real STEAM powered one, maybe the
#3... :-)

Trust me I know all about "Swell Shutters". I help some folks with a
Wurlitzer Theater Organ, ya know where the consloe rises up in front of the
stage :-)

POP OFF???? Were's yer bellows on each rank, and what's your equilizer
system ?

The #2 is 100 miles away from me, we are going to get together in about a
month and I'll try and get some pictures and recordings. #2's pipes also
have a more traditional diamater to length ratio, I was trying for more high
harmonics on these pipes... Uh speaking of that, even at 27 inchs #2's F
below C is really slow to "speak"...I suspect it has a throat issue, valve
is 1 inch diameter.

--.- Dave


"Bruce L. Bergman" <blnospambergman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:q5c144p9amep2iaoaj7moddeokrqle8vmc@xxxxxxxxxx
On Fri, 30 May 2008 14:04:48 -0700, "Dave August"
<august@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

The things people build...

http://www.acmesi.com/wonder/ and if you only listen to one recording try
BeetleJuice. And yes those are "RECORDINGS" not the MIDI.

To give you an idea of scale, that box is 12x6 inchs... the tallest pipe
is
middle C and is a foot long (good old K&S hobby shop tube)

It's a long storry, but to cut to the chase a friend and I have built a
couple of these... mine runs on compressed air and at 40 PSI you don't
want
to be ANYWHERE near it.

His is a 43 note (lowest note is F below C) and runs on the output of a
strong blower (like a vacuum cleaner backwards).. with about 27 inchs of
water in a manometer a full on 8 or 10 note chord will deafen you... and
yeah we call that the Wonder #2.

After hearing the #2 a month ago I went and bought more valves, so I can
build another octave. :-)

--.- Dave (It's a Wonder if it makes music)

Stick up a "Wonder 2" page!

It sounds like really slow solenoids or too long an air path to the
pipes on #1, especially at that tempo - by the time the air gets into
the pipes and they start resonating, the note's over. Or the pressure
is too high - sounds counter-intuitive, but the valve is acting
against more backpressure and that slows it down. Try cranking the
pressure down, and add more reservoir to moderate the spikes. Or trim
the whistle gap and 'voice' them so they start resonating easier.

That, or program in some added delay to compensate.

The rest of the organ and calliope crowd has gone with the
low-pressure route, and you can get really big ring blowers
(regenerative compressor) to run several ranks at once. See McMaster
Pg. 929. If you need to regulate the air chest pressure, use a
propane gas diaphragm regulator between the blower and ranks - I have
one with a 1" orifice that would be perfect.

Just watch that there is a pressure regulated relief valve, some
ring compressors have a minimum flow requirement or they cook the
turbine components and the bearings. Easiest if you have a pop-off
that bleeds air at max pressure.

You want a volume control? Look up "swell shutters" - you put the
pipes in a chest and regulate the volume into the room with powered
air operated venetian blinds.

--<< Bruce >>--



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