Organ Cleaning - a new Dirty Jobs episode

[kcbooboo]

<FONT face=Arial>On Tuesday, July 18 2006, 9pm ET, Discovery Channel (check your local listings), "Dirty Jobs"Mike Rowecleans a Philadelphia church's antique pipe organ. I only saw a brief promo last night between some other shows on the same channel, but I verified it on their web site this morning.</FONT></P>


<FONT face=Arial>Considering some of the other really dirty jobs he gets himself into, this should be a relatively clean one. I guess he'll be pulling and cleaning pipes and maybe the chambers themselves. Worth watching to see what he dents or otherwise turns to trash.</FONT></P>


<FONT face=Arial>Bob M.</FONT></P>

[Bombarde32]

Hopefully he won't have a jackhammer like when he was cleaning the cement truck. Put a nice dent in the side of that thing!! [:P]

[kcbooboo]

<FONT face=Arial>The jackhammer dent was nothing compared to how the Mythbusters got their cement truck cleaned. They loaded it up with high explosives. The biggest piece remaining after the blast was the size of a softball.</FONT></P>


<FONT face=Arial>I can't see how dirty someone could get cleaning the pipes. However, sliding around onone's belly would certainly mop up the floor. We'll just have to watch and see.</FONT></P>


<FONT face=Arial>Bob M.</FONT></P>

[Orgrinder010]

They will have to watch out for that disease that grows inside when mice live around the pipes, I cant remember what its called.

Well, I might have to tape this then.


What organs do suppose would have been a better candidate for this show?

[Bombarde32]

How about an out of service organ that's been walled up for who knows how long and maybe that the pigeons have gotten to. Like an out of service church somewhere that is coming back online. Don't know of too many of those though .......

[kcbooboo]

<FONT face=Arial>"They will have to watch out for that disease that grows inside when mice live around the pipes, I cant remember what its called."</FONT></P>


<FONT face=Arial>I think it's the Hanta virus, and it comes from mouse droppings. Not necessarily in or around pipes, but anywhere they congregate or make nests.</FONT></P>


<FONT face=Arial>Bob M.</FONT></P>

[Orgrinder010]

Im watching this as I type, and all I can say is that this is typical of what you'd expect when you mix a nice old pipe organ with reality television.


"Man, this pipe is really jacked up"

And mouth-blowing lead pipes can't be good.

[FrenchHorn8]

Im watching this as I type, and all I can say is that this is typical of what you'd expect when you mix a nice old pipe organ with reality television.

I watched about 5 minutes of it but I stuck a tape in to record it (does anyone else use these anymore?) I agree from what I saw. It didn't look like they killed anything. The Dirty Jobs guys seemed to be kept on a fairly short leash thank goodness.




And mouth-blowing lead pipes can't be good.

meh... everyone does it

[kcbooboo]

<FONT face=Arial>Definitely not your typical "Mike Rowe Screwed Something Up" dirty job. I was hoping he'd destroy a metal pipe in the process, or get something jammed up in the throat, requiring the pipe to be taken apart or tossed. It would also have been interesting to watch him stumble in the chamber and grab some pipes to stabilize himself. But we had none of that. Rather lame, considering some of his other escapades. I've noticed that the level of dirtyness (is that a word?) has been decreasing as the show moves on. Perhaps there are just no more really dirty jobs left.</FONT></P>


<FONT face=Arial>Did anyone recognize the organ's manufacturer? From the little I saw, I have an idea, but I'm no connoisseur. I do know what it wasn't.</FONT></P>


<FONT face=Arial>Bob M.</FONT></P>

[Bombarde32]

Agreed ... it wasn't terribly 'dirty.' But did anyone notice that they did spend a moment talking about how pipes in the chamber were organized, how the blower/wind system worked, how a damaged pipe is fixed, et cetera? I thought it was a nice little promo. for 'the king.'

[kcbooboo]

<FONT face=Arial>After rewatching the video tape, I located the organ company featured in the show: http://www.walshorgans.com/. Better explanation on their web page. Apparently Mike Rowe did a lot more than was shown on TV, but it really wasn't that dirty.</FONT></P>


<FONT face=Arial>Still a nice piece on the pipe organ and some of what makes it tick.</FONT></P>


<FONT face=Arial>Bob M.</FONT></P>

[soundboarddude]

I thought it was neat... The pipe organ needs all the publicity it can get, and evenif that includes a portion of a TV show about cleaning one, it certainly helps!</P>

[odellorgans]

I caught it. Not bad. I seem to recall seeing somewhere that Mike Rowe has been a professional singer in the past.

Probably hands down the dirtiest organ I have ever workon on was the 40's era Skinner at Church if the Nativity in Bethlehem, PA. Just two blocks from the gargantuan (and now vacant) Bethlehem Steel works.

[soundboarddude]

You recall singing somewhere? You mean, seeing? :)</P>


Say, I'd be curious to know... how often should organs be heavily cleaned? (heavily, as in all pipes removed and cleaned... etc)</P>

[odellorgans]

You recall singing somewhere? You mean, seeing? :)</P>


Say, I'd be curious to know... how often should organs be heavily cleaned? (heavily, as in all pipes removed and cleaned... etc)</P>

Whoops.

How often depends on how dirty the organ gets, but on average I would suggest every 40 to 50 years. I know some european builders like to go more often, like every 20 to 30.