It's Just about Finished !!!

I have been working on restoring an old piano for the past couple of months.
Since I like to make sure things are done correctly, it took me a little longer than I had expected.
(I wanted to have it completed before Christmas).

Anyway, it is a 1964 Steinway upright piano.

It had been somewhat neglected and abused.
It was stored in an old house's sunroom with no heat or air-conditioning, so the finish was exposed to direct sunlight for the last 14 years.

The piano used to be a dark walnut brown color.
The finish had yellowed and was cracked and peeling.
Here's what it looked like when we brought it home.




Before (October 3, 2006)







This is what it looked like with the laquer stripper on it, before I scraped it off. What a mess!





It took quite some time and a great deal of effort (and patience), but I stripped off all the old finish, sanded it down to the bare wood, patched all the dings and gouges with wood filler (walnut), repaired the broken leg, stained it with an Antique Walnut Gel Stain, and sprayed on about 10 coats of laquer.

And now......





After (January 20, 2007)




All that's left to do is finish polishing up all the brass, and buff on the rubbing compound.
Then we can finally move it into the house.

Now if only one of us knew how to play it..........