Hammond M3 Chop Plans Wanted

[Guest]

Does anyone know of a resource for building a hammond M3 chop? I've seen pictures of chopped m3's but never really found a good design to build one myself.

[redoctoberff]

Re: Hammond M3 Chop Plans Wanted



Search in the Hammond Organs section of this forum, or ebay, for a B3-style "chop" someone designed and is selling the plans to. That's the only "design" I've ever heard of. Most just do it on their own.</p>

I'm in the midst of working on one for my M (converting to M3, with the addition of percussion and the AO29 amplifier), and I've got most of the case built, but I'll be able to fill you in on all the dimensions when it's done--hopefully that won't be too far from now.
</p>

[Guest]

Re: Hammond M3 Chop Plans Wanted

thanks! that would be awesome. I guess I'm just looking for ideas at the moment as to what to do with my M3.

[toasterDude]

Re: Hammond M3 Chop Plans Wanted




<TABLE class="" style="WIDTH: 100%" cellPadding=3>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD class=infolabel_txt vAlign=top noWrap align=right width="1%" class="infolabel_txt">Here's the chop plans (actually more of a conversion): Ebay Item number</TD>
<TD class="" vAlign=top>150369847313</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></P>


I ordered the plans, they're really good but not quite great in my estimation... though it was probably just me-- I had a little trouble seeing what he was getting at. The guy was super nice though. Anyway, there's a thread on here where a few of us discussed the plans:</P>


http://organforum.com/forums/thread/86738.aspx</P>


Of course it all depends what you're looking to accomplish. If it's a true chop you're after, where you want to reduce the thing to a size where it's more portable, these plans don't really help. Obviously they just make it look cool! ButIMHO there's not much point in a true chop, because you don't really cut out very much of the weight, and you run the risk of inducing hums/buzzes/etc. As far as moving it, a secondhand pair of Roll-or-Kari dollies make an M3 a snap to move, provided you have avan truckor trailer to haul it in. Heck for that matter I've moved an M3 with just a regular old $40 furniture dolly.</P>


anyway there you go-</P>


td</P>

[toasterDude]

Re: Hammond M3 Chop Plans Wanted




<TABLE class="" style="WIDTH: 100%" cellPadding=3>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD class=infolabel_txt vAlign=top noWrap align=right width="1%" class="infolabel_txt">Here's the chop plans (actually more of a conversion): Ebay Item number</TD>
<TD class="" vAlign=top>150369847313</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></P>


I ordered the plans, they're really good but not quite great in my estimation... though it was probably just me-- I had a little trouble seeing what he was getting at. The guy was super nice though. Anyway, there's a thread on here where a few of us discussed the plans:</P>


http://organforum.com/forums/thread/86738.aspx</P>


Of course it all depends what you're looking to accomplish. If it's a true chop you're after, where you want to reduce the thing to a size where it's more portable, these plans don't really help. Obviously they just make it look cool! ButIMHO there's not much point in a true chop, because you don't really cut out very much of the weight, and you run the risk of inducing hums/buzzes/etc. As far as moving it, a secondhand pair of Roll-or-Kari dollies make an M3 a snap to move, provided you have avan truckor trailer to haul it in. Heck for that matter I've moved an M3 with just a regular old $40 furniture dolly.</P>


anyway there you go-</P>


td</P>

[nbarr7]

Yes, I realize this is a 5 year old thread. And yes... I'm sorry. Just wondering if these "B3-style-chop" plans for an M3 still exist anywhere? I haven't seen them on eBay for a while now... Any other sources?

[Kurzweil]

I've done this a couple of times. Mine are not a true "chop" because I don't actually cut anything up. I essentially build a new case using the old one as a pattern. To my thinking the base plate of the upper section is the most complex because it holds the main "works" and usually consists of several accurately located holes. For my M-3, I decided that the location of the tone generator, slightly back and lower, made it an awkward design to begin with. You would end up with an upper section with an "L" shaped cross section. Hence, I decided to move the generator BACK and UP. This made the organ deeper but with only about a foot of height in playing position. I had to lengthen some generator wires, only a few, and never detected any signal level issues. Cables that were shielded, about two, remained so, so there were never any hum issues. I bought a pair of multi-pin connectors and cut the pedal and control cables, one conductor at a time. This is highly recommended since the M had all black-sheathed insulation. EDIT: Upon reflection, I used TWO sets of connectors. One for the control and pedal conductors and another smaller one for the heavier power wires, so as to keep the two types of wires separated, just as Hammond did. Measurements only had to be approximate.

I never did much with the lower section, essentially putting the organ on a stand made from a folding table and putting the electronics section (power supply, power amplifier, and capacitive volume control) on a box so that I could still link the swell pedal. At the time, I wanted wood pedals so I made some metal pedal replacements, flipped the pedal switch over, and hooked an old set of Hammond C-style pedals to it.

The advantage of that approach was that I put the organ back into the original case at one point, loaned it to my brother, and never saw it again. I suppose that last part was not a genuine advantage. If anyone wants it, and is near Atlanta, I still have most of that case. It reflects the construction skills of an 18 y.o. but will definitely get someone started. Make me an attractive offer (only) involving some lodging, food, and poor entertainment and I'll bring it to you at my expense. Always up for a road trip. No charge for the case itself, which could be thusly slightly overpriced, and it CAN be picked up in Atlanta for zero cost.

My second "chop" was a Roland Atelier AT-15. For this one, I removed the Roland "case" which consisted of two sides and a top. That left the electronics and lower keyboard attached to the bottom and rear panels. I left that as is and built new sides, top, and devised a fall-board, which the AT-15 initially lacked. This time I built a lower section that would fold and still use the rig today, a couple of years later. 45 years of additional skill is only partially apparent. There are photos on other AT-15 threads.

[JBW]

Kurzweil, do you have any photos you could show us?

[nbarr7]

For reference, these are the photos I ran across in my search:


Anyone have/seen plans for a design like this?

[Wes]

Say, that's pretty fancy.

Any idea how much of that is the original M3 chassis?

Wes

[300lbLoveAffair]

I have been seeing this chop for sale around $1000 dollars in the Washington DC craigslist. I will try to find ad and post it to this thread. At first it was for sale and then a part of an ad to do chops on any hammond organ. You can provide the organ or trade better parts for the chop the ad says. I will find and repost.
Looks like everything but the legs and crossbar are from a M3.
McKenzie

[Wes]

I was originally thinking that, too -- but the M3 has a bump in the side.

[300lbLoveAffair]

Did not notice that. The ad for chops has been removed. The red chop is the promo picture for the chop plans on ebay that has been talked about. Perhaps someone is doing chops based on the plans in the DC area. McK
Plus no expression pedal could be remedied by one inline on the way to the external power amp off the audio output. I did this with a L chop before.

[300lbLoveAffair]

I was originally thinking that, too -- but the M3 has a bump in the side.

The blip I found on that "red chop" was on harmony central forum and the fella said it was the picture for Woodworking plans for a M3 chop. The cheek blocks and top look like a M3, but the ad aparently said all wood could come from the M3. How do you get 4 legs from a M3.

[nbarr7]

I read somewhere (I think in the thread that discussed the merits of these same woodworking plans - Link here:
http://www.organforum.com/forums/sho...lans-from-Ebay)
that the legs were custom turned on a lathe. But that most of the other wood was from the original M3 cabinet - though there were some visible seams which is why painting was undertaken... These are the woodworking plans I'm after. I don't see them on eBay any longer. Anyone have 'em or know where they can be had?