StJamesOrganRestoration - St James Episcopal Church, Painesville OH

1926 Skinner Opus 608 Pipe Organ Restoration Project

Upon the completion of the organ restoration, a celebration concert was held on September 17, 2010. Guest organist Tom Trenney delighted concert-goers with a variety of musical selections on the newly restored 1926 E.M. Skinner Organ Opus 608.

IT'S OVER, Opus 608 completed

Monday, April 27, 2010

Hi Friends,

Just received this picture of the Bunn=Minnick staff with the completed organ.

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Leo Klise, Bob Bunn, and Phil Minnick are the three gentlemen in the lower right of the picture. Next comes the pack-up and move to Painesville.

Peace, Bill

Friday, April 23, 2010

Dear Friends, An organ update is overdue. We are on the home stretch and the finish line is finally in sight. On April 27 the blower and accompanying equipment will arrive and on May 3 the reinstallation of the organ in the Chancel will begin. A few pictures are worth many words.

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The Swell Division nearing completion.

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The Great Division complete

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The Choir Division also complete

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Joe places and tunes the top notes of the Pedal Bourdon.

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One last view of the Swell with the lowest pipes of the Bombarde and the Bourdon

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Swell restored pipes up close

Bill

Sunday, June 8, 2009

One last quick update on the journey of Opus 608. The Bunn=Minnick Co has finished removing the Skinner organ from the chambers of St James, Painesville and this week will transport the last load of parts to their workshop in Columbus. Friday evening a very corroded pipe finally burst in the blower room, showering the workmen and the main reservoir. The pictures show that leviathan moving through the kitchen, around Phelps St. and finally to the truck at the front door. Saturday morning the truck looked pretty full to me with the lower octave of the Pedal Diapason being stuffed with anything that would fit inside as the picture shows. By the time they departed at 3 PM the truck was FULL.

Update will come less often for a while but information will be added to this webpage as the work progresses during the summer. Please check frequently!
Bill

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Truck seemed pretty full Saturday morning.

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"I think this might fit through the kitchen" says Nicholas Fink, the shop foreman

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Riding down Phelps St

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Waiting for a place on the truck

Friday, June 5, 2009

If you visit the Church this morning you will see the Narthex completely filled with diverse and sundry organ parts waiting patiently for their spot on the truck.

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The Nave of the Church is also filled.

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The largest pipe in the organ, low C of the pedal Diapason takes 4 people to lift. Meanwhile, the wind chest that it sits on shows the evidence of past water damage.

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The work continues until the chambers are empty.

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Finally, all four manual chests are out and ready for their journey to Columbus. Each weighs 6 to 7 hundred lbs.

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The largest reservoir in the blower room has yet to be moved, but stayed tuned for the conclusion. Bill

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Hi Friends,

Beginning with the blower, a shot of the 7 1/2 horse motor that provides the power.

Now the blower case and the large reservoir in the blower room. This regulates air pressure to the entire organ.

Thursday saw more parts filling the nave, as the chambers emptied.

Large pipes of the Pedal Diapason.

Finally the first manual chest appeared in the opening. This baby is the choir organ chest and weighs about 700 pounds.

More to follow as work progresses. Bill

Pictures from Thursday, June 4, 2009 (06/02/2009)

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Tuesday June 2, 2009

I have become an honorary member of the Bunn=Minnick team. (I was assured that I will receive an "honorary" check at the conclusion of the project).

The process of removing the organ continued unabated for the second day. I assumed the role of tour guide introducing all visitors to Phil Minnick, Bob Bunn, and Leo Klise.

The pipe trays filled at an incredible rate. There are pipes and parts everywhere. If you have a chance to stop at church this week, it is an incredible sight.

Nicholas Fink, the foreman of the project has been staying on top of things.

I will try to update daily until the chambers are empty. Right now I am late for work. I leave you with 2 pictures that Rick Jackman took for me last summer in Bethel, Maine, the final resting place of Ernest Skinner, who you may note was born the same year that the cornerstone of St. James was laid, 1866. Bill

Pictures from the Second Day (06/02/2009)

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Monday, June 1, 2009

Dear Friends,

Pentecost Sunday was was a bright, sunny, June 1 morning, bittersweet as well, as we celebrated the holiday with our new Rector, and said goodbye to our wonderful, old, wheezy pipe organ. Following the Mass, Art and his skillful crew, augmented by volunteers, EMPTIED the sanctuary, and protected the chancel floor and the high altar. The Bunn=Minnick foreman, Nicholas, arrived about 4 PM and Gary explained the intricacies of St James electrical system, and we walked him through the building. Part of the crew arrived Sunday afternoon and began setting up shop in the Church.

Monday morning the trucks arrived, along with the rest of the crew and the three owners of the company. During the course of the day, the blower was disassembled, one grill was removed, the console was pulled out of the well, the air conduits removed, wiring to the chambers removed, and much of the pedal Open Diapason taken out.

I will update frequently as this all progresses.

Thanks, Bill

Pictures from the First Day (06/01/2009)

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