Further to leather for a Universal organ, I have now almost come to the end of my organ building, any new ones are now MIDI. I do have a number of parts available, including a ready made and tested full tracker bar assembly with tubing for a Universal.. Various size plastic tubings, heavy duty blackout cloth for busker and Senior bellows. ring me 01525 712496 john Smith

Russells can supply the leather needed for all my organ designs, unless things have changed they know exactly what to supply for each model. Soft sheep is probably the nicest to use two skins will bee needed unless they are from a very big sheep !! I and a couple of others have successfully used soft upholstery leather, manufacturers discard quite large offcuts, or one man simply bought a tatty sofa from a charity shop and cut the back out making a perfect set of bellows for his topsy.

I am looking at leather required to make the bellows and reservoir fro the John Smith Universal organ and Russels look to be the right suppliers. Can anyone advise the type of leather requires, Does it need to be soft lambskin or the bellows sheep or any other. A little advice would be appreciated.

I DID make bellows for a MIDI version of John Smith's Busker using Mervyn's method. I found construction easy, and it certainly supplies lots and lots of air! My only problem was accidentally sticking the top bellows on the wrong way.
I had to use a thin Japanese saw to detach the top bellows before sticking it back on the correct way round, I wished I had followed Melvyn's suggestion of putting cardboard 'gaskets' between the three bellows.cry

I am currently making a small light weight 32 note, has anyone built the Melvyn bellows as I am thinking of giving them a try ???