I figure an upright should be able to be rebuilt for about $13,500 Action $4000 Belly $6000 Refinish $3500 Am I way off here? Here is what some new uprights list for (according to Larry Fine's latest suplement to The Piano Book: Astin Weight U-500 50" Oiled Oak $13,380 Baldwin 6000 Mahogany $11,280 Bechstein 52" Walnut $34,040 Bluthner 52" Walnut $31,718 Bosendorfer 52" Walnut $43,978 Boston 52" Ebony $11,980 Broadwood 50" Walnut $12,510 August Forster 49" Walnut $15,750 Grotrian 52" Ebony $27,200 Haessler (Bluthner)52" ebony $23,254 Hoffmann 52" Ebony $12,480 Kawai K-80 52" Ebony $12,590 Mason & Hamlin 50" $17,012 Petrof 53" $14,500 Pleyel 51" Mahogany $18,780 Pramberger 52" rosewood $9,990 Sauter 51" $19,800 Schimmel 52" Mahogany $18,800 Seiler 52" Walnut $19,180 Steinberg 52" Walnut $13,050 Steingraeber 54" Ebony $31,780 Steinway 52" Walnut $26,600 Yamaha U-5 52" Ebony $12,590 The typical vintage upright is 56" tall, Steingraber is the only one to come close at 54". Many of the finer vintage uprights feature beautiful veneers and cabinet work that would cost a premium to build today. Also There are many people who can afford high quality pianos but find that grands just take up too much space. Over the next 20 years I think that good vintage uprights are going to become more and more collectable. There is only a finite number of them out there and they are dropping like flies. Ryan Sowers, RPT Puget Sound Chapter www.pianova.net --- Farrell <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> wrote: > David Nereson wrote: > "I guess any chewed-up wood or gaps will be filled > by the glue you use when > it's re-assembled, but the surface on which the new > block is glued has to > remain relatively undamaged." > > I like the chainsaw idea for the pinblock removal. I > used to trim trees > professionally - now why didn't I think of that? > However, you are correct > that it will leave a "chewed up" set of backposts > and spacers. That is one > of the fabulous qualities of West System type epoxy. > The more chewed up your > surface is, the better it adheres! So no worry about > that at all. In fact, > if your surface is smooth, it is recommended that > you rough it up with very > coarse sandpaper. > > Terry Farrell > > www.farrellpiano.com > > > > Drilling a few hundred holes? I'm curious about > this method. Has it > been > > > described in the Journal? > > > > Andre Bolduc demonstrated an L-shaped jig that > screwed or clamped to > the > > face of the old pinblock, I believe, then hung > down the top of the block > > (piano lying on its back). The part that hangs > down has a guide for a big > > foot-long, half-inch (or so) diameter drill bit. > You start at one end and > > drill holes the depth of the pinblock (actually, > height of the pinblock > when > > the piano is standing up in normal position) as > close together as you can. > > The drill stop or gauge or piece of masking tape > around the bit is set for > > that depth (actually height, that is, the > pinblock's vertical dimension > when > > piano is upright). Divide the width of the piano > by the diameter of the > bit > > and that's approximately how many holes you have > to drill. Now there are > > little bits of wood still between all the holes, > since you can't drill > holes > > precisely next to each other or the drill bit will > "find" or "seek" the > > adjacent hole and not go straight. You've got all > these holes OOOOOOOO > but > > you have to remove the wood between the 'O' s -- > the hour-glass shaped > > remaining walls between the holes. I think he > used a bil ol' chisel and a > > mallet. And I mean a 3-inch wide wide one and a > big mallet. > > Once he chopped out the block, I think the > surface was smoothed with a > > router, then prepared for the new pinblock. > > Yes, it was described in the Journal, but I > don't know which issue. > > Terry Farrel's method of renting a big > circular saw, or maybe even > using > > a chain saw, seems easier. A tech from our > chapter once demonstrated > > removing a Steinway grand pinblock using an > electric chain saw with a > > pre-set-up "track," or guide, attached to the > stretcher. But that's where > > the block was doweled or glued to the stretcher. > In an upright, for > > removing the sides or pinblock with a chain saw, > you'd need some way to > keep > > the blade exactly vertical, or horizontal, > depending on your set-up, so it > > wouldn't chew up the sides or the back assembly > too much. I guess any > > chewed-up wood or gaps will be filled by the glue > you use when it's > > re-assembled, but the surface on which the new > block is glued has to > remain > > relatively undamaged. > > OR: > > If you're rebuilding the whole piano, > including refinishing, > re-guilding > > the plate, new block, new board, new everything > else, then just leave the > > old assembly in the driveway or back yard for > several months, and after > it's > > been alternately rained on and baked in the sun > several times, it'll just > > knock apart with a small sledge hammer. ;-) > > --David Nereson, RPT > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > pianotech list info: > https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: > https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? 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