J.J. Binns’s organs stand out because of their staggering appearance. The technique had such a solid build, that his instruments had already received the nickname “Battleship Binns” during their playing life. He consistently adhered to his technique: the pneumatically controlled slider soundboard with the extremely precise and flexible pallet bellows in the windchest.

He was just as consistent in his attempts to improve this technique. This peaked in his design and construction of a mechanical piston setter mechanism.

Musically he was inspired – as were many of his contemporaries – by the german organ builder, Edmunt Schulze, who made a deciding impression in northern England’s organ scene after having built several organs there.