Blog Post

News from us
06 January 2016

Making of a Masterpiece 5 – Highland Park, IL

  • A view of the completed Rodgers / Ruffatti Organ (31 pipe ranks), in the gallery of Highland Park Presbyterian Church
  • The Nave of Highland Park Presbyterian Church, completed in 1912. The original pipe organ was replaced by a Saville electronic organ.
  • While waiting for the container to arrive, our "in house" Plasterer, (Larry Smith) helps prepare the chamber walls for painting.
  • The container arrives at the church.It is packed from floor to ceiling and from front to back.
  • Barbara (a member of HPPC) carries the first box from the truck to the church balcony.
  • Anxious church members supervise the unloading of the container
  • The large pipe crate is offloaded with some assistance from a fork lift
  • The chapel becomes a staging area for all the parts of the new organ.
  • We begin by installing the swell casework over the staircase to the balcony
  • The mahogany swell enclosure is completed behind the oak case of the organ. The swell box looks like a vintage Chris Craft boat.
  • Just look at the thickness of the swell shades. They are even felted to quiet the division down to a whisper.
  • The Great pipe chest is put in place on its steel supports. All Ruffatti wind chests are made from Sipo Mahogany which is seasoned for 5 years before being used to insure stability.
  • The Ruck-Positiv case is installed in a traditional manner behind the console location cantilevered from the balcony.
  • The Rodgers 3-manual console with wood-core keyboards,ebony sharps, and Harris Drawknobs is lifted to the balcony
  • The 95% tin pipes of the Pedal 8 Principal are installed in front of the swell enclosure.
  • Rick fastens down all the wiring to the solid-state, fused driver boards which meet UL standards.
  • Marcio Rigatto, from Brazil, voices each pipe for a perfect blend of sound in the Nave.
  • After voicing is complete, Marcio begins tuning each pipe here he is tuning the V-rank Swell Plein Jeu
  • A finished view of the console in front of The Great Division Facade (north chamber).
  • A dramatic view of the completed organ
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