tonyn

This maybe too late. But even if you don't have a black colored panel: You could try either black silicone(they sell it for aquariums). Or they also sell black rubber in a tube to use instead of electrical tape. If you put that into the spaces around the holes, and around the other switches, it may give it a professional look, as if you meant to do that, and also hide the imperfections. As if the switches had black rubber gaskets around them.

As promised here are some pics. In the first picture you can see the organ has the touch screen on top with a customized screen saver. The computer that gos with the monitor will be just for this organ. So it will be custimized with organ software just for this organ. Later on the computer will be mounted inside of the organ and the keyboard and mouse will go wireless. So all that will let you know it is a virtual organ from the outside will be the touch screen. The organ legs and pedal board is missing(I have them, they are just behind the organ). I also need to do some cabinet work with veneering since the organ was damaged in the move. But I am a handyman too, so that will be done right too. First things first though. The touch screen was a steal on ebay for only $40! The monitors are missing the stands, vga cable, power cable, usb cable, and the bezel isn't complete. I got a cheap stand for $50, and the cables for about $30. So a total of about $150 for a complete setup with a custimzed bezel(I will use wood molding to match the organ). But this is a high quality touch screen with a glass front. At half the cost of complete 15 inch touch screens. I can provide details on ordering one if you guys want one too. The computer is a refurbashed E-Machines 3ghz, dual core with 2gb memory(expandable to 8gb), 160gb hard drive, DVD writer and Vista preinstalled from Tiger Direct. So it should have the horse power to to run the virtual organ software, etc. This whole computer with keyboard mouse and 10w powered speakers(temporarily setting inside of organ, to be replaced later with a 100w amps or a receiver to power the real organ speakers) was only $200! Midibox electronics $300. 3 new keys $30. 122 push button switches $120 Various hardware about $100 All in all I have spent around $800. But this is most of what I need except the amps. Those I hope I can build or buy a cheap 100w receiver for under $200. Plus my organ repair guy said he may have some amps I could use(I may also see if I can use the old amp) I figure another $200 should about wrap it up. So in the end my budget will be around $1000(with some work involved) I will also use the leslie speaker for the sound it produces. Just need to figure out how to work it into the midi electronics for switch detection, and channeling the appropiate sounds to the leslie channel. The rest of the stop contacts for the leslie will work the origional Baldwin motor circuits that turn the lesley. The second picture is of the old contact boards and old keyboard electronics. The third and forth pictures show how I made the new push button boards. These new boards only have one octive of switches installed right now. Plus I will need to solder wires onto the switches and add terminals. So they aren't complete yet. The midi dins and cores will mount to these boards too. I had to test it out to make sure it worked before buying 122 switches. The board is full adjustable for height by washers. The boards don't destroy any of the orgional integrety of the organ. No new holes were drilled into the origional organ. I just used the old mounting holes from old contact boards. The push buttons have a bit more firmness than if I used smaller micro switches or touch switches, but so little from the origional feel of the organ keys(the old contact board also had springs so it had a bit of firmness too), that it was worth the higher quality of push buttons. Plus with micro or touch switches I would have to be more exact on the height, etc., since they would have a minute distance to activate the switches. They eventually would get out of aligment, etc., and require constant fixing. I initially bought a couple of cheap portable keyboards electronics from a local organ repair guy, and was going to use those contacts. But they had resistance, and I wanted no resistance. Plus those contacts were so cheap that they wouldn't last the long hall. No wonder he is always fixing those keyboards! When I am done with my switches they not only will be wired to terminals to ease my hooking up the dins, but they will easily be individually replaceable. So later on, if a switch may fail, an organ repair person can easily replace them individually. I am also documenting the new electronics and will make full schematics of the organ electronics, and detailed info on the computer and software, along with a repair manual to replace and align new switches etc(everything will be adjustable for exact alignment). Don't forget: This organ will be passed down to my son and if he needs it to be repaired later by someone else, it can be. As you can see these boards look like shelfs! Well they are! I initially used 1/4 inch hard baord and manually cut them. But I needed to go up to 5/8 inch since 1/4 inch was too flexible. I am using hand tools so my accuracy isn't exact. So I found these 36 inch x 8 inch shelves at Menards, and they were exactly the sizes I wanted! For $4 each it was worth it, and while I was at it I got woodgraned laminite, plus it saved me some cutting. You won't see them from outside of the organ, but it was a free added touch. The metal strip that the switches mount into is 1 inch aluminum that I had laying around. Those holes were also hand drilled but they are accurate enough. The metal on the back of the keys, where the hammers strike the push button switches, can be bent to align them perfectly with the buttons(soft metal so need to be careful not to stress it out though). The height of the boards can be adjusted with washers. The distance from front to back can be adjusted with moving the outside mounting screws(Baldwin designed this part in, the holes allow front to back movement of 1/2 inch , so I am just taking advantage of what they already took into account). I also had to replace 3 keys that were damaged. The newer keys are whiter. Anyone know how to whiten up my old keys? I tried Acetone but it didn't work. I am a heavy smoker so it could be from that, or they are yellowed with age. They are plastic. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, advice, or want more detailed pictures of anything, feel free to add to this thread. I may be asking for help on various things as I proceed too.

I am a newbie here but I thought I would start a thread on my project. This organ has memories, since it was my dad's organ(no pun), and I have played it since I was a child. When my dad died 25 years ago, I inherited it. So yes, I could get a nicer 3 manual church type organ to midfy. But this one has memories. I love this organ, and now my son wants it when I die(plus he wants to learn to play). So it's this organ. I want to maintain the integrety of the organ, but modernize it. It will become a virtual organ but sound like the origional organ. From the outside you won't be able to tell, except for the touch screen on top. The default virtual organ software that boots up, will mimic the origional Baldwin along with the stops and pistons, etc.. Except it will produce better sound, since it will use sound files. You will also be able to pull up other virtual organs and use the touch screen for those stops!. This organ had all of the elctronics intact and worked. Until this last summer, when I lost my business, and had to move it. I couldn't afford to hire movers, so I had to dissassemble it(I moved it on top of my car). In my haste I just cut the cable from the upper part to the lower part, not labeling the wires! Stupid me, I have been involved in electronics for over 30 years. I SHOULD HAVE LABELED THEM! After moving the organ and reassembling it, I now had the task of soldering those wires back. Damn if they didn't use the same colored wire! This was VERY involved and would take me a long time. I almost gave up. Then I happened upon a organ store, where they were selling full sized organs. I was curious, since I knew full sized organs are almsot impossible to get rid of. It was a modernized Lowery and sold for $30,000! The guy said because it was computerized and had real sounds. Now I was inspired! I have a background in electronics and programming. All I did was do some research and came up with this forum and others. Right now I have the touch screen and computer, along with Midwitzer,Jorgan, and the free MyOrgan software. This is to start. Being a programmer, I will write my own later, once I figure out how this all works. I am redoing the swtich board with real push buttons, and have it just about done. I placed an order for the Dins and core kits. So it's just awaiting them. All in all this will cost me a total of about $1000! How's that for cheap(but these are all good parts, and the build will be high quality). I'll post some pictures and how I am redoing the switches as I go for those of you interested. I like to build things to last and also allow for an organ repair tech, to be able to easily replace and adjust the switches, etc., years from now when it maybe my son's. So being an engineer, I design to allow for this too. I also wanted to try to maintain as much as I can of the integrety of the origional organ.