What to do with Grand Piano carcass

[Greg Peterson]

I acquired a turn of last century Chickering grand paino carcass. No sound board, no keyboard, no guts. Just the carcass, legs, keyboard cover, top, foot pedals and assorted hardware.

The secondary wood appears to be fir, with a rosewood veneer. There are numerous places where the veneer is chipped, scratch or gouged.

Lately I've been thinking about stripping the veneer of the carcass. Since this piano is so old I'm guessing they applied the veneer with hide glue so removing the veneer is plausible.

Any idea's on what else one could do with this thing? It would be a shame to just haul it off to a landfill.

[Nancy Laird]

Recycle the wood into small "keepsake" boxes for you and yours.

Cut it into 3/4 x 3/4 x 5" pieces for pen blanks.

Recycle the wood into some sort of keepsake -- let your imagination run wild. The legs could be used for a three-legged stool or table, maybe using some of the other wood for the tabletop.

As for the hardware and foot pedals, you might try advertising them on "the bay" -- there are still people out there who restore those old instruments.

Just some suggestions.

Nancy

[Doug Shepard]

Hmmm. A trebuchet launch sounds appealing :D
http://www.fitz-claridge.com/Trebuchet/piano.html


Seriously - if it fits somewhere and wouldn't clash with your decor, it might make for a very interesting sideboard. Or even stand it upright for a linen cabinet. Either way would probably need some modifications though.

[Howard Rosenberg]

I just looooove launching things.

The piano puts another spin on it.....

Howard

[Jim Becker]

If you can make that carcass presentable, you could install a modern sampled/electronic piano in place of the original keyboard for a very fine looking instrument. My grandmother's piano was a Chickering baby grand...the cabinetry was beautiful.

[Mike Heidrick]

If you can make that carcass presentable, you could install a modern sampled/electronic piano in place of the original keyboard for a very fine looking instrument. My grandmother's piano was a Chickering baby grand...the cabinetry was beautiful.


A local rental company uses this setup for local 'gigs'. A full on piano is too heavy. Instead one guy and a good dolly can move, setup, and install the chipped out piano at a bar or other temporary spot for the night. Check around, it may be valuable still.

[Greg Peterson]

Cutting it down into pen blanks never occurred to me. Not a turner. Is old growth fir a desirable wood for pen blanks?

[Jim O'Dell]

How about making a writing desk out of it? Split and hinge the string cover about the keyboard. Make a slide out writing surface where the keyboard would be. Or a computer desk, especially with the flat panel monitors. If it was an upright player grand, you could probably make a stereo cabinet out of it, otherwise, not enough depth on top for the components. Jim.

OOPS!! I just noticed you said it was a baby grand, not an upright grand. That leaves a very big writing desk!!!

[Robert Tarr]

Greg,

I would stand it on end and use the inside space as a tool cabinet for hand tools. This may sound weird, but I think it would be a great use (where are you located? I would be interested, if you can't find a use for it.)

I love to use things for something other than the original intention. I am currently trying to source a Ferrari hood (off on an old wreck) for a fold down drafting table. I might give up and use a VW bug hood and have drafting/drawing supplies stored underneath (in the bulge). My shop is in the second story of a Dutch barn styled building and I am planning on having it hinged upside down to the "slanting" walls.

Good luck and let us know what you come up with.

Robert

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Restore it, learn to build Piano Actions and make your self a new piano.

[George Summers]

Stand it on end and make book shelves (or knick-knack shelves) similar to the idea of rowboat shelves (a rowboat standing on it's transom with shelves). It certainly would be a conversation piece.

George

[Greg Peterson]

I did consider converting it into a bookcase. That option is not off the table.


Despite it's overall size, the depth of the carcass is pretty shallow. Less than 12".

I don't have anywhere in my workspace to put this as a permanent fixture.


So far removing the veneer and cutting into pen blanks is at the top of the list.

[Eric Lewis]

While it sounds you're attempting to turn this into something furniture related, we used the carcass and guts of an old stand-up piano as plant stands in our garden/yard. Just a thought.

[Ben Grunow]

Line it with poly and fill it with beer!

Put it in you family room with a plasma TV under the lid so you can lift it up to watch.

Maybe not.

[glenn bradley]

I agree that it may have value as window dressing for a piano bar. If not . . . . hot tub!

[Greg Peterson]

Ben - I did think about how cool it would be to have it house a plasma screen. Definitely a high end customer that wants a one off kind of thing. something you'd see on some TV show where they show off celebrity homes.

Glenn - It is a little shallow to be a hot tub. Perhaps a Hot Wading Pool?

It's not in the way, generally. I'm able to do my rough in and sheet rock work around it. I've kind of gotten use to having it around. But it really needs to find a new home and as something else.

[Jay Albrandt]

Greg,

If this was a built in, it would make an interesting wine rack. Maybe for a bar as previously mentioned?

Good Luck.

Jay

[Dino Drosas]

I have two restaurants that I operate and one of them has a piano bar. About ten years I bought a concert grand piano that was made in the twenty's. It was walnut veneer and beat to hell. I sanded it and filled the surface voids with auto body filler and then painted it high gloss black (base coat-clear coat automotive acrylic urathane). I fitted an electronic 88 key piano keyboard where the original was and have been using it ever since. It sounds terrific and you really have to look hard to be able to tell it is not a real piano. A piano in that type of club envoirment has to be tuned quite frequently as it takes a real beating. This way there is no maintaince. If I were you, I would refinish it as I did and sell it to a restaurant lounge or hotel. That refinished carcus alone should fetch at least four to five grand. Sure beats pen blanks

[John Schreiber]

I read a book about how they make Steinways a while ago. They make the outer piece, the rim, out of about 10 layers of maple all glued and clamped in a form. So, don't be surprised if it's not solid wood but is instead a specialized plywood.

[Greg Peterson]

John - The carcass is surprisingly light. Two people can easily carry this. The cross members are solid fir. As for the sides, I can only assume they are fir as well. But your point is taken.

Dino - Wine Rack. I like it. Like it a lot. Think that may be a winner. Anyone that would have that many bottles of wine to store may also want a unique way of displaying them. Very good!

[Bill Wyko]

Cut it up for segmented woodturning:D

[steve tompkins]

i know a finisher here in town that has one with a cracked sound board. he was told that it was worth a lot of money. i wont say how much, more than i made last year by half. even in the shape yours is in it might be worth saving. it may be more valuable to a restorer.

[Bill Turpin]

Keep the keys, they should be REAL ivory!

[Benjimin Young]

I once seen a grand piano made into a reception desk at a small modeling agency. It was a work of art and made the reception entrance the classiest one I have ever seen.

[Greg Peterson]

Keep the keys, they should be REAL ivory!

No keys.

Last evening I was framing in the last wall for my shop and while moving stuff out of the way I ever so slightly touched the carcass with a sheet of OSB. Well, I stood there and watched the piano and everything I had stacked up against it tip over in slow motion. Fortunately it only tipped over to about 45 degree's. Still, I have a slight mess to deal with now.