The Mellotron Group

Unfortunately, they are illegal in parts of California

On 3/1/2011 2:23 PM, Gary Brumm wrote:
>
> In California we call these \u201cPresto Logs\u201d and people who can\u2019t start a 
> fire burn them in their fireplace\u2026.they will probably
>
> be outlawed soon like everything else here\u2026\u2026.
>
> *From:*newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com 
> [mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] *On Behalf Of *lsf5275@aol.com
> *Sent:* Tuesday, March 01, 2011 12:17 PM
> *To:* newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
> *Subject:* Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Freddy Fender Mellotron
>
> Modern plywood, as an alternative to natural wood, was invented in the 
> 19th century, but by the end of the 1940s there was not enough lumber 
> around to manufacture plywood affordably. Particleboard was intended 
> to be a replacement. German inventor of particle board was Max 
> Himmelheber <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Himmelheber>. The first 
> commercial piece was produced during World War II 
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II> at a factory in Bremen, 
> Germany. It used waste material such as planer shavings, offcuts or 
> sawdust, hammer-milled <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammer_mill> into 
> chips, and bound together with a phenolic resin 
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenolic_resin>. Hammer-milling involves 
> smashing material into smaller and smaller pieces until they pass out 
> through a screen. Most other early particleboard manufacturers used 
> similar processes, though often with slightly different resins.
>
> It was found that better strength, appearance and resin economy could 
> be achieved by using more uniform, manufactured chips. Manufacturers 
> began processing solid birch, beech, alder, pine and spruce into 
> consistent chips and flakes. These finer layers were then placed on 
> the outsides of the board, with the central section composed of 
> coarser, cheaper chips. This type of board is known as three-layer 
> particleboard.
>
> More recently, graded-density particleboard has also evolved. It 
> contains particles that gradually become smaller as they get closer to 
> the surface
>
> In a message dated 3/1/2011 12:50:03 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
> tron400@yahoo.com <mailto:tron400@yahoo.com> writes:
>
>     I was thinking of plywood as solid wood, but of course, it's not.
>     So, when did particle board make its debut?
>
>     Bernie
>
>     --- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
>     <mailto:newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>, lsf5275@... wrote:
>     >
>     > I don't think they were ever made completely of solid wood. I
>     know that
>     > most of the Mellotrons I have seen had plywood lids and front and
>     back panels,
>     > but when I owned 1562, it had front and back panels made of phenolic.
>     >
>     >
>     > In a message dated 3/1/2011 7:47:35 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
>     > tron400@... writes:
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > Frank,
>     >
>     > Based on the hoard of M400's you've restored, can you tell at
>     what point
>     > the cabinets were changed from solid wood to particle board?
>     >
>     > Bernie
>     >
>     > --- In _newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
>     <mailto:_newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>_
>     > (mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
>     <mailto:newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>) , lsf5275@ wrote:
>     > >
>     > > Chris,
>     > >
>     > > Yeah, here are a few more photos. It all comes down to what it
>     would
>     > take
>     > > to make it right. Besides, I want to build a cabinet and modify
>     the Tron
>     > a
>     > > bit. It all comes down to its provenance. I won't literally
>     trash the
>     > > cabinet. I'll just store it away. If you look at the following
>     photos,
>     > and if you
>     > > know anything about repairing particle board, you'll see how
>     difficult
>     > the
>     > > repairs will be and that the cabinet will forever more be
>     structurally
>     > > compromised.
>     > >
>     > > Frank
>     > >
>     > >
>     > >
>     > >
>     > > I believe the Tron fell forward on its "chin" and caused this
>     break. It
>     > > goes all the way through.
>     > >
>     > > It is worse than you can see here.
>     > >
>     > > Repairing edges and corners is easy. So is reveneering.
>     > >
>     > > As you can see, it is all the way through. You could dig it
>     out, glue
>     > it,
>     > > clamp it and then fill it with Bondo, but it would never be strong.
>     > >
>     > > Notice the crack in the lower left corner of the photo? That
>     goes all
>     > the
>     > > way through as well. You can also see that the corner blocks in
>     the
>     > bottom
>     > > are cracked through.
>     > >
>     > >
>     > >
>     > > The question becomes, "Where do I put my effort?" Can I fix it?
>     Sure,
>     > and
>     > > I can make the breaks invisible. But the cabinet would always
>     be weak
>     > and
>     > > easily damaged.
>     > >
>     > >
>     > >
>     > >
>     > >
>     > > In a message dated 2/28/2011 4:15:42 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
>     > > fazeka@ writes:
>     > >
>     > >
>     > >
>     > >
>     > > Hi Frank,
>     > >
>     > > I'm only referencing pictures, but the current cabinet doesn't
>     look
>     > *too*
>     > > bad. Is there a reason for requiring a new cab?
>     > >
>     > > Chris
>     > >
>     > > --- In __newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
>     <mailto:__newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>_
>     > (mailto:_newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
>     <mailto:_newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>) _
>     > > (mailto:_newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
>     <mailto:_newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>_
>     > (mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
>     <mailto:newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>) ) , lsf5275@ wrote:
>     > > >
>     > > <snip>
>     > > > I'm going to build it a new cabinet. The plan for now is to
>     build it
>     > out
>     > > of
>     > > > all MDF or a combination of MDF and Baltic Birch plywood.
>     > >
>     >
>
>