I'm thinking a racing stripe around the piano...really, anything is going to look better than it does. Fill gouge and apply a thin, pre-finished molding? Any Naugas in your area? David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "Paul Milesi, RPT" <paul at pmpiano.com> To: caut at ptg.org; pianotech at ptg.org Received: 5/12/2010 12:33:52 PM Subject: [pianotech] Steinway D Case Repair & Refinishing (Institutional) >List, >As you may recall, I wrote a few months back about the possibility of our >music department finally claiming possession of a 1970 Steinway D which has >been in the Chapel on our campus, and moving it to the Recital Hall within >the Department of Music. Approval for a move to our Recital Hall has just >been granted! The piano was a bequest to the School of Music in 1970 from >the former head of piano studies. The piano was new at the time it was >received, and was placed in the Chapel because there was no recital hall at >that time. This piano will, hopefully, become our main "recital piano," >replacing a 15-year-old Yamaha C5. The D has new hammers, shanks and >flanges one year ago (original reps). Key bushings were replaced. Needs >full regulation and voicing, pulley keys fixed, and other things. >For years this D has been stored in a narrow alcove with a metal railing on >one side, and the piano is scraped along it every time it is used. (SEE >ATTACHED PHTOTOS.) Don't ask me why...I don't know! This kind of treatment >is incomprehensible to me. You can also see that the fallboard is not only >worn, but actually scalloped from finger nails. Is there a way to "fill" >those scallops, or would you recommend a new fallboard? >Anyway, I'm trying desperately to save this instrument at absolute minimal >cost (we barely came up with moving money). We would like the piano to be >presentable in terms of visual aesthetic for recitals in our 120-seat >recital hall. Estimate for refinishing the whole piano was $10-13K, and we >simply don't have the money. And basically the case is OK, showing some >wear, except for the gross damage you see in the photos. >So here's my question: What are some reasonable options for an acceptable >"fix" of this case? Should I undertake myself to fill with putty, mask it >off, and spray with a can of lacquer? I say this somewhat jokingly, but >also know if I did that very carefully, the damage would at least be less >obvious--like a racing stripe, perhaps. ;) It will be hard to make it >worse, I think, unless I spread paint or putty on good parts of the case >finish. I've seen spray paint repair done on some institutional pianos in >hotels, schools and churches, but have always detested that "masking" >approach. Perhaps now I'll be forced to adopt it myself? :( >Seriously, what should I do? We'd like to get this done this summer, while >I work on the action and lyre. I'm pretty ignorant of what would need to be >done here, wood-wise, other than to somehow "fill" the gouge and then veneer >and refinish, blending with current finish? I don't know...is "blending" >the finish even possible? Please help me out with your takes on this. >Remember: I have minimal woodworking experience. :) >One other consideration: The piano must be moved up 3 flights of stairs -- >at considerable expense -- to the Recital Hall, as there is no elevator that >will accommodate it. I just thought before moving it up there, perhaps it >should go to somebody's shop to have the face fixed, saving another >in-and-out move at a later date. The one piano refinisher I know gave me >the above quotes, and thought anything less would not be doable, that it's >quite a mess. I don't know anybody else to do it, although I have a couple >inquiries out. How do I accomplish an acceptable intermediate solution >over the summer without making a worse mess? Can this work be done, now or >later, while the piano is on the Recital Hall stage? >Sorry, I got rather long-winded. >Paul Milesi
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