Reuter Organ Company

Who are they?

• The Reuter Organ Company, established in 1917, produces musical instruments that utilize wind moving through pipes to produce sounds. 

Product & Services:

• Custom built organs that typically range from $500,000-$2,000,000. 
• Reuter renovates and rebuilds organs as well as any upgrading requested by the customer.

Markets:

• Churches
• Colleges/Universities
• Concert Halls
• Private residence

Materials:

• Pipes more than 4 feet long.
• Copper or Zinc: These two metals make the best sounds while providing structural stability.The copper and zinc is ordered by Reuter on large rolls in one long sheet.
• Pipes under 4 feet long.
• Lead and Tin (50/50 mixture): Large solid blocks of lead and tin are used to create the amount of mixture needed.
• Reuter uses upper wards of 12,000 lbs of lead and tin every year.
• Reservoir, wind-chest and box of frame of keyboard.
• Wood: Poplar, maple, walnut, oak and birch- The type of wood used depends on the amount of money the customer has in their budget and the style they desire.  Any knots in the wood must be removed and patched due to the characteristic of air being able to pass easily through.
• Keyboard Keys
• Bone, plastic and wood:  The style of key has no bearing on the musical quality.  The material used is purely cosmetic and physical.

Forming Technologies:

•  All of the wood used in the production or rebuilding of the organs Reuter works on is bought in bulk plank lengths and milled in house.
•  After being cut to length the metal that is to make up the pipe is rolled around a die to obtain the proper cylindrical form.
• To make sheets of lead/tin for the smaller pipes, blocks are melted down to a liquid and poured over a flat stone table to cool and form a single flat sheet of alloy metal that is the desired size to form the correct pipe for the organ.
• To form the toe of the pipe the sheet metal is hammered around an anvil that provides a stencil to create the proper shape and size.

 

Cutting Technologies:

• To achieve the most accurate, repeatable and least errors, a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machine.  This machine also gives them the ability to create a lot of more fancy designs for the customer while keeping more of the process in house.

Joining Technologies:

• Welding: After the pieces of the pipe are rolled and formed to the desired size and shape, they are welded together to created a connected cylindrical shape.

Finishing Technologies:

• The parts can be painted, polished or have a finish applied to alter the desired look of the product.
• In addition to painting, the copper can also me heat treated to temper the metal and give a "flame" effect on the metal.
• To finalize and seal any effect, a clear lacquer finish is applied.

Overall Impressions:

• It is very impressive that Reuter takes every opportunity to make and construct as many parts as possible in house.
• Though some of the process has evolved to incorporate computerized controlled tools, much of the process is still completed by hand using basic tools.

 

 

How Its Made: Compound Bow

Compound Archery Bow

Function:

-The compound bow functions by using flexible fiberglass limbs, cams and string to propel an arrow through the air to strike a desired target.

-The purpose of the compound bow is to provide a hunter with an accurate means of killing prey. Also the compound bow is used for shooting inanimate targets for recreation or competition.

Personality:

-The center section (frame) is ridged and provides a steady place for the user to hold the bow as well as provide a base for the limbs to be mounted.  At the each end of the frame there is a flexible fiberglass limb with a cam mounted on the end to multiply the exertion force on the arrow greater than the force used to draw the arrow back to the shooting position.

Manufactures:

-The particular compound bow researched is made by Bowtech, there are many manufactures that produce this product utilizing similar practices.  To name a few of the companies, Alpine, Athens, Bear, Ben Pearson, Browning, Darton, Diamond, Elite, G5, Hoyt, Limbsaver, Martin, Mathews, Mission, Parker, PSE, Ross, Rytera, and Strother

Market:

-Depending on the desired purpose of the product, the compound bow is marketed towards different target groups.  Some bows are more tailored for hunting, while some are more designed for the recreational or competition target shooter.

Materials:

-Aluminum for the main framework

-Laminate sheets of fiberglass placed over a wood core to provide flexibility in the limbs that will propel the arrow.

-Non-elastic synthetic string that is attached to the fiberglass limbs and transfers the flexing force of the limbs into thrust for the arrow.

- Rubber dampeners to reduce the oscillation and noise of the string when loosed.

 Forming Technologies:

-The frame of the bow is formed from a single block of aluminum.

-The limbs are constructed by laminating layers of fiberglass over a core of wood.  The strength of the force exerted on the arrow is determined by the thickness of fiberglass and wood core.

Cutting Technologies:

-The frame work starts out as a single piece of aluminum that is cut out into a basic shape using either a laser cutter or a water jet. For the final shape it is milled using a CNC, (Computer Numerical Control) machine to give the frame the exact shape and style desired by the manufacture.  By cutting holes and/or notches in the frame the overall weight of the bow can be dramatically reduced while retaining enough structural integrity to maintain the original shape.

Finishing Technologies:

-Ink graphics on a starch based film paper are placed into a large tank of water.  The starch paper is dissolved by the water leaving only the ink graphic floating on the water’s surface. The frame is then dipped into the water through the ink that sticks to the frame covering every surface seamlessly.

-After the ink graphic has dried, an acrylic clear coat is sprayed over the graphics to protect them.

Overall Impressions:

-It is very impressive that over the millennia’s, bows have been used by cultures all over the world and even though the materials and production have improved the bow’s accuracy and longevity, it remains close to the original design.

-Bowtech astonishingly produces a completed bow every 3.5 minutes.