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  • Help with locating leaks

    Hi all, is there an industry standard way of locating small leaks in a windchest?
    I'm an enthusiast, and salvaged a pipe organ that was going to be scrapped (church sold their building to a developer, short story is that no one was going to take the organ). Well, I've started putting pipes on the chest, and there seems to be an absolute profusion of small leaks. I'm tempted to add some kind of smoke bomb to the air intake, but I'm sure that won't be good for the instrument, and that there's a better way, I just don't know what it is.

  • #2
    Try sticking a plastic tube in one ear, sort of like a stethoscope, and then "sniff" out the leaks with the other end. If there's a leak, you will hear it.

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    • #3
      Some years ago I built a busker organ from a kit. In order to find any leaks in the pipes and bellows, I used a cheap stethoscope with the end pulled off.

      https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31CBEssDqML.jpg
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      Hammond M-102 #21000.
      Leslie 147 #F7453.
      Hammond S-6 #72421

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      • #4
        What brand organ do you have? Is it a Wicks that use direct electric actions, a Moller that uses leather pouches or a tracker that is all mechanical? Answers to this will help us to give you some insight what to look for.
        Michael

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        • #5
          An old mechanic's trick is to use soapy water. You be the judge of whether that would damage anything, before trying it.
          Lowrey Heritage Deluxe DSO-1
          Lowrey Holiday Deluxe w/ Automatic Rhythm TLO-1/AR (w/ manual)
          Lowrey Holiday Deluxe TLO
          Lowrey Holiday LSB
          Wurlitzer 4075, Silvertone 4782 (w/ manual), Yamaha Arius YDP-V240 (w/manual)

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          • gtc
            gtc commented
            Editing a comment
            ... and a plumber's trick to check for gas leaks.

        • #6
          It's not a "branded" organ - the windchest was locally made in the 1930's and it uses pipes imported from England and Germany. It is an electro-pneumatic slider chest. I've tried walking around with a small piece of shredded paper to identify leaks, but not having a lot of luck.

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          • gtc
            gtc commented
            Editing a comment
            Stethoscope. If there's a leak, and your hearing isn't impaired, you will hear it.
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