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Repurposing an old piano

I've got an old (1908) upright piano downstairs that rarely gets played. I'm kicking around the idea of repurposing it. Obviously, there's plenty of wood in it for building other musical things. I'm wondering if I could use the strings for gits, hammered dulcimers, etc. Any other ideas out there. I know some of you have used items formerly belonging to a piano in at least one build.

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Permalink Reply by Tom T on August 25, 2017 at 9:13am

The wood sounds like a great idea. It should be good quality and well seasoned. Strings? Not so sure. Have you looked at the strings on one of these things? Most of them are big (really big). Just getting them out and off the piano frame would be quite a chore requiring some special tools and it could get dangerous.

I think harvesting the wood and maybe the keys is a good start without getting overly greedy.

Good luck. Keep us posted on what you do.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff 'Bones' Reilly on August 25, 2017 at 9:23am

You could always convert it into a building bench gut the parts and make shelves in it for storage ,I did a old piano into a bathroom wash basin and shelves for storage .good luck with your repurposed idea mate .

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Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on August 25, 2017 at 1:49pm

Have a word with #AGP, a member here, he made about 3000 guitars out of an old piano, using keys for nuts and bridges etc he got a lot of mileage out of the 1 piano [ it wasn't really 3000] but it was a lot

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Permalink Reply by Titch the Clown on August 25, 2017 at 3:20pm

The Ivory on the keys is something that looks great to reuse but can get you into trouble if you try to send it without CITES certification across borders. Not usually worth the bother.

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Permalink Reply by Kigar on August 26, 2017 at 9:46am

I asked about it here once before, there is always a free one on Craig's. Seems like a lot of work to load and haul. But if is already in the basement then go for it. The Sound board can be a few hundred pounds so be careful taking it apart. The other interesting part besides wood and the keys to me was the tuning pins.

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Permalink Reply by Grandpa on August 26, 2017 at 9:51am

I think the best repurposing of a piano I ever saw was when a safe, or a guy, or some other large object crushed a piano, and Harpo would emerge with the sound board, upright it, and play a harp tune. Youngsters might never have seen it, but the old folks have. LOL.

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Permalink Reply by JL on August 28, 2017 at 2:18am

First question: is it still playable decent piano?

lots of new piano students are looking for one at home at a price their parents can afford to gamble on, and use that money to buy cbg wood and supplies (gamble that their child will stick with it long enough to be worth the investment in a home piano...)

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Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on August 28, 2017 at 2:55am

Ever try to move a piano? Be a lot less stress in buying a cheap electric keyboard. Takes up less space in a closet when the kids decide it's not what they want. And electric ones are easier to sell. Another thing to take in consideration. Most modern houses have an open floor plan. Pianos are loud. There's no volume knob.

The ebony will also get you in hot water.

The scariest real life story about a piano I've heard to date. There was a grand piano in a large two story house. The house caught on fire. The sound board was compromised. Then broke. The force of the strings flung it threw the second story. Through the roof. It landed in the front yard. Luckily no one was hit.

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Permalink Reply by JL on August 29, 2017 at 3:21am

Urban legend disproved by the Mythbusters, the heat deforms the strings and they lose all tension long before the cast iron frame they are bolted onto begins to feel the heat.