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 Post subject: Update on Fantasia
New postPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 8:54 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 7:29 pm
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As requested by George, here is the latest update on the progress with "Fantasia".

I have been to Cornwall once again on the weekend of the 13th and 14th August (yes, I know it's a while ago, but things move slowly, here in Wiltshire!), and was pleased to see that John, the mechanic, was getting on well with things. I had been told that there was an oil leak from a offside rear hub seal, so he's taken the half shaft out and is awaiting a new seal to go back in. I opened the cab door, and saw that the floor was covered in lots of oily bits....so I shut it again!

On the organ front, I decided that the old girl could do with a wash and brush-up. This I did, and it took seven and a half hours ....yes, that's right, to get it clean. The coloured lights now shine beautifully off of the white laminate panels, and look really great.

I brought the top half of the hi-hat cymbal home for cleaning, along with the crash as well. But what do you use to clean cymbals? Eventually, I settled on vinigar and a small nail brush. Followed up with copious amounts of clean water, then burnishing with 'Brasso' wadding. The results? Like new.

Rob Harris has supplied me with some leather to re-cover the percussion motors, as one or two have failed, so I'll do the lot....but not all at once! I don't fancy having a load of wet glue hanging around the Rayburn in my kitchen.

The top and bottom opening panels on the lorry are extremely heavy to lift (goodness only knows how the previous owners managed...or am I just a weakling?), so I am mechanising them.
To this end, I purchased two brand spanking new remote control 12 volt electric winches from e-bay....my first attempt at doing so....and got a very good deal. Each will lift 2000lbs...so that's a combined lifting force of 4000 lbs, far more than I shall need. But there is a reason for this overkill, and it is that I will use the same system as Ray Bryant has on "Charlotte Rose", where the bottom panel lifts the top one into place, and it's then supported by rods from the lorry side. So the winches will ...in effect...be lifting almost the full weight of one side of the body!

This entails (more expense) two large "A" frames and pulleys to control and anchor the winch cable , and to ensure a controlled movement up and down. These are almost completed, and will really weigh the back of my car down next weekend ! Just as paying for them will considerably lighten my bank balance!

I am not going into any more detail regarding the playing of the organ etc, as the forthcoming issue of "The Key Frame" is on the stocks as we speak, and David has the next installment of this saga within it (I hope!), pictures and all.

So if you want to see how she looks now.....you'll have to wait until the KF comes out!

Kind regards,

Alan


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 Post subject: Re: Update on Fantasia
New postPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 12:30 pm 
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Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2009 10:07 am
Posts: 261
Location: Widnes,Cheshire,UK
Thanks Alan
Now you know what it's like to be a poor Organ Owner.

_________________
Regards,

George


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