Thread: Anyone pulled a piano apart

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Originally Posted by The Spin Doctor

Was wondering if a friends with worth grabbing a pulling apart. Is there anything of value to us woodies

A fairly recent thread on the subject here. Depends on the piano but it can be a lot of work for little gain.

Originally Posted by rwbuild

Would you like to edit your post so it makes sense?

I suppose on the Sunshine coast it make perfect sense

Timberwise not much but do a google search on piano bookshelves. I have the piano for the project, but limited time at present.
Rgds,
Crocy.

I pulled one to bits about 30 years ago, started using a screwdriver and soft hammer, finished it with sledge hammer.most of it went straight to the tip, I saved some of the veneered panels for some time but it all finished up in the tip.

Good luck Rick

A grand piano yes. An upright is hardly worth the trouble. Gunsmiths and knifemakers sometimes use the keys if they are ivory and ebony.

There were some picture of a hand tool chest that was made from an upright piano. Chisel storage where the keyboard was. Saws on the inside of the top when opened. Cool stuff like that but don't ask me what issue it was in.

Pete

Found it. Rolling Piano Tool Chest - FineWoodworking
There might have been another example in another issue.

Originally Posted by rwbuild

Would you like to edit your post so it makes sense?

Damn! That happens often. My thoughts out pace my fingers LOL. Can't even blame it on the beer. In myy defence the wife was saying in my ear, lets go!

So!!! A friend has a piano. He wants it gone. For the most part, you can't even give them away. I was wondering if anyone had pulled one apart and was there anything worth salvaging from a woodworking perspective.

Originally Posted by Rick47

I pulled one to bits about 30 years ago, started using a screwdriver and soft hammer, finished it with sledge hammer.most of it went straight to the tip, I saved some of the veneered panels for some time but it all finished up in the tip.

Good luck Rick

That made me laugh. Pretty much sums it up then. He can keep it.

I went down this path the year before last.
We were a three piano family and one of them was in the building I wanted to turn into a shed and needed to go.
It was an upright made in Europe in the 1930s and not worth anything, but I was sure there would be some good wood in it.
There wasn't.
The thin ply was rubbish and the timber framing was the equivalent of very cheap and knotty oregon.
And there was a a lot of glue, so I needed the big hammer which eventually broke.
Sure, I kept the keys and a few other small bits to throw out in 10 years time.
What I did discover is that around 80% of the weight of the piano was in the huge cast frame that holds the strings. So even when you get rid of all the wood you are left with that.
I know someone who is sound artist and teaches at Sydney uni and I told her about it and she came and got it. Phew.

About 5 years ago we were able to get rid of our no longer used piano. I think we were paid a couple of hundred dollars. I thought we would need to pay to get rid of it.