# Melodium Restoration



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

I have been working on restoring a rare steam-driven Acme Melodium [He's lying] so I can have some music in my shop while I work. The Melodium was an early Acme product that was moderately successful in the late 1870s [More lies], long before the company moved on to the Acme product line that is more familiar to us. As electricity and the combustion engine began to replace coal in most homes, the product was finally phased out of production. [Has he no shame?]










The Melodium has a wide selection of music and once the it gets up to steam [Still lying like a dog], all it takes is a turn of the valve to fine tune the volume [Okay, that part is true]. I have included some early photos of the factory and such that I found in the attic of an old house . [They're fake. He's carrying this way too far.]

Anyway, that's my story.

Pssst! Have the others left the room? Are you sure? Okay, since we're friends, I'm going to tell you the real story but you have to swear to tell no one. Cross your heart? Okay.

Remember in my Dowel Cannon post how I said that during my bi-decade garage and shop cleaning I found a bunch of stuff? Well among those was a pair of old speakers for a PC. I got to thinking I could combine them with an early model iPod Touch that's been laying dormant in a drawer for many years and have music in the shop. 

Sure, I could just plug 'em in and call it a day but that wouldn't be in TheTrue Acme Spirit. Besides, I decided the iPod should have a modicum of dust protection. Plus, the cables and plugs should not show because ... well ... because they're ugly.

The parts list is a bit eclectic: some scrap plywood and MDF, some short pieces of copper pipe and fittings, a valve handle, a sliding door pull, a spice bottle cap, a brass connector bolt, a couple of old CDs, a couple of yogurt cups, a 35mm film canister, a container for a camera lens filter, and other odds and ends. Another reason to never throw anything away.

So this is the result. I blame the Router Forum. I keep learning things like how to make router templates and have to find a reason to try them out. The photos tell most of the story. But keep it under your hat. We don't want the others to know. Remember, you promised. Wha ... wait! You had your fingers crossed?!


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Got me......

I see you are a man of many talents, Oliver.

Great result.

Could you show how it actually works?

Where have you hidden the face of the Ipod?


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

jw2170 said:


> Got me......
> 
> I see you are a man of many talents, Oliver.
> 
> ...


I'm glad you asked that question James. I'm very pleased with my solution. I thought about using some really small hinges such as might be used on a small box but did not like how they looked. So I modified a couple of right angle corner braces that had legs about 2" (51mm) long. I cut off most of the leg on one side and all but a short bit on the other (see photo 1) which was rounded. These were then attached to each side of the face plate (photo 2) so the face plate could lift up, rotating at the top. The final three photos show how the face plate lifts up for access to the iPod.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Very cool. Uh, what's an iPod?

You should have checked a bit more.
http://dvice.com/archives/2006/07/steampowered_computer_from_the.php


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

I am still laughing over this one Oliver. I linked this on my FB page. :haha:


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## hilbilly (Dec 30, 2011)

Gaffboat,
Could you help me with mine.  I found it floating near the Titanic wreck site. I've been trying to convert it to operate on natural gas>
Hillbilly


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## timbertailor (Oct 4, 2009)

JOAT said:


> Very cool. Uh, what's an iPod?
> 
> You should have checked a bit more.
> Steam-powered computer, from the good ol' days | DVICE


An iPod is the McDonald's hamburger of the audio world.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Isn't that Mr A. G. Bell making the first 'steamy' phone call, presumably to Mrs. Bell?


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Speaking of which, I need to have a chat with Mrs. Gaffboat...she's obviously not keeping you busy enough!


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