Cleaning and releathering begins

Blacksburg Presbyterian project · May 2026

Work on the Blacksburg Presbyterian organ has moved into my temporary workshop. The first job is the wooden pipework: every pipe gets cleaned, inside and outside, and the stoppers need new leather.

All wooden pipes came in with their original leather still on the stoppers, dried out and no longer sealing. Each stopper is pulled, the old leather and hooks removed, and new leather fitted with hide glue and tacks, then refitted to the pipe for a tight fit. A stopper that does not seal properly costs the pipe its tone, so this is slower work than it looks, but well worth doing right.

PED Subbass pipes showing stopper before work

PED Subbass stopper in the process of being releathered

The wooden Flauto Dolce 8' pipes are through the same process and back together.

Flauto Dolce pipes cleaned, stoppers releathered and refitted

Another view of the Flauto Dolce pipes

Earlier in the month I packed the Great and Swell main chests that go to Columbia Organ Works in Columbia, Pennsylvania, and drove them up. Larry Pruett is handling that part of the work as well as some of the original offset chests.

Packing the Great and Swell main chests for the trip to Columbia PA

Larry Pruett of Columbia Organ Works

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