May Recap — Berghaus Organ Company Tour

Stacks of wooden flue pipes. They are not made at the factory but sometimes are left over from other organ remodels.

Wooden consoles being built.

DPWW members recently enjoyed an inspiring and informative tour of the Berghaus Organ Company, which has been building and maintaining pipe organs since 1967. Berghaus has built more than 200 organs and continues to maintain many others throughout the United States.

Our hosts, Kelly Monette, Head Tonal Finisher, and Seth, the shop supervisor, gave us a wonderful in-depth look at their facility. The building, once home to several different businesses, has been renovated for Berghaus’s specialized work. Members toured the wood shop and finishing area, which included a large planer, jointer, disc sander, oscillating edge sander, a huge TimeSaver belt sander, a large CNC machine, and the usual complement of woodworking tools.

We learned that Berghaus primarily uses poplar for internal wooden components, while red oak, white oak, walnut, and mahogany are used for the more visible parts of the organs. More than 95% of their work is for churches, and some of these instruments can cost more than $1 million. After seeing the amount of craftsmanship, engineering, and detail involved, many of us were surprised the cost was not even higher.

The tour also included a fascinating look at metal organ pipes, the internal workings of the instruments, and how organs are tuned. Berghaus also has an electronic repair section, since the keyboards are electronically operated. Each organ is assembled in the shop, then dismantled for shipping and installation. One organ currently underway is roughly 55 feet long, 18 feet high, and about 20 feet wide, requiring it to be built in stages because it will not fit all at once in their assembly area.

A special thank you to Kelly, Seth, and Jean, the operations manager, who welcomed us with coffee and donuts. Kelly and Seth’s enthusiasm for building, maintaining, and preserving these remarkable instruments made the visit especially memorable.

March Recap — Jeff Miller Shop Visit & CIADC Tour

Jeff Miller welcoming DPWW members into his shop.

Touring the Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center.

Our March event was a wonderful mix of craftsmanship, learning, and fellowship. Members first visited Jeff Miller’s shop, where we enjoyed seeing the workspace of a master furniture maker, including his clever jigs, fixtures, and vast array of hand tools.

After dinner together, we toured the Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center (CIADC), an impressive facility serving both young people and adults through hands-on education in woodworking, metalworking, and fabrication.

Thank you to Jeff Miller and the CIADC team for their hospitality.