The chest with the pallets removed. This chest is 8 feet 6 inches long - that's over 2.5 metres, and contains 94 channels separated by timber bars, hence "bar" chest. It almost covers two trestle tables.

Inside the chest before restoration. The dark marks are caused by the paper covering being slightly porous, trapping dirt like a filter. The white patches are repairs, done in situ after the paper had split. The square holes at the bottom are evidence of the beginnings of an ambitious modification to fit brass trumpets to the organ in 1990 (not my work). Fortunately, the job was never completed.

The pallet box had been coated with hide glue as a sealant, but dry atmosphere got the better of it.

These screws show a previous repair of splits in which the bars lifted from the top board (table).

Evidence of hide glue shrinking and pulling away from the timber, rendering it useless. Note the pegged splits in the table.

After the clean-up operation and pegging of fresh splits, this (and other) new splits had appeared, needing more work.

Pointing the camera straight up, I took this telling photo of the lorry roof on a sunny day.

Picture taken during the application of masking tape for testing purposes.

Testing done, calico applied and sealed, and now pallets being fitted.

The completed chest ready to accept the pallet box and springs..

The new springs being fitted to their rails for mounting in the pallet box.

The chest is now sitting on its edge in the organ case waiting for the new wind manifold to be fitted to the reservoir. Placing the chest into position first makes taking measurements for the manifold far easier.

The chest is now down, and secured.

The wind trunk is clamped to the chest, and tubing rails for bass, glockenspiel and baritone are in position (top left).
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