I’ve had a notion for a while, of making a pipe organ or player organ using corrugated card pipes. After the fun of the Guild of Makers event it seemed like a good time to try out some ideas.

First things first, is it possible to make a set of tuned pipes, with perhaps an octave or two range. To start with I think it would be helpful if the pipe air intakes were the same size across a range of notes, this would make it easy to install or remove pipes in a finished player. I’ve opted for a 20mm square tube, on the right in the picture below.

The bevelled cut at the end of the tube neatly leaves a space for the air to flow.

I’ve glued the tube to the shroud then the sides up the sides onto the pipe using PVA glue.

A cover then fits over the top of the pipe creating the throat and directing the air to the right place.

The finished box is sealed with brown paper tape.

First draft and it works already! That’s a good start. Next, tuning then a range of other notes.