Previous Projects

Restore on Contract

5' Weber Grand #71359
Art deco case. Built in 1913. Restored by Ray’s Piano Service in 2010

IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED:

Rebuild—Dismantle. Remove pins and strings. Repair and refinish soundboard and bridges. Install new pinblock. Restring & Repin.

Recondition action—Tighten all action screws. Repair or replace worn and defective action parts: new hammers, shanks, wippens.

Complete Regulation—Install new damper felts. All adjustments to ensure that piano plays like new, tune to A-440, tune, voice hammers.

Case work—Repair fallboard assembly, lid assembly. Clean and polish all brass hardware. Re-assemble.

SCHEDULE:

Pick Up—from Seattle, 10/10/09

Rebuild--October 2009 - January 2010

Delivered--To Seattle, February 16, 2010

1913 Weber 5 ft. Grand #71359 - "Before"

1 – Picture taken in client's home before pick-up.

1913 Weber 5 ft. Grand #71359 - "After"

77 - We assembled and installed the music desk.

1913 Weber 5 ft. Grand #71359
Pictures of the Restoration Process
taken in our shop, October-December 2009:

1 – Picture taken in client's home before pick-up.

2 - We were impressed with the beautifully painted rim. This explained, in part, why the owner was really "attached" to the piano and wanted us to restore it.

3 - We removed the bass strings for delivery to the string-maker for duplication.

4 – We loosened the treble strings and measured sizes for making our stringing gauge which will be used during restringing to ensure replacements are the proper size.

5 - Close-up of the stringing gauge.

6 - We removed the dampers and placed them in temporary storage..

7 – After removing the treble strings, we removed the pins with a special bit in our 1/2-inch power drill.

8 - After removing all plate bolts and placing them in storage in the correct arrangement for easy replacement, we lifted the plate out of the piano using our ceiling-mounted winch.

9 - We removed the "back action" to which the dampers are attached, for reconditioning. This action will be re-installed after restringing.

10 – We removed all surface dust from the board and elsewhere.

11 - We covered the piano with blankets and installed a heater below the board in order to dry it overnight at low heat.

12 - After drying, the board showed several thin cracks which need to be shimmed. This will make the soundboard to a one-piece vibrating diaphragm, essential for good piano tone.

13 – After all grooves had been shaped with our shimming tool, we cut V-shaped strips of spruce wood and glued them in place. After this dries, we will clean off the excess wood and refinish the soundboard and bridges.

14 – With a chisel we removed the exposed sections of woodshim, and with paint scrapers we removed the original varnish from the surfaces of the bridges and the soundboard. Next we will sand the surfaces and apply sealer and semi-gloss spar urethane.

15 – After close examination of how the original pinblock was installed, we decided to remove it by cutting it from the frame and then breaking the glue-joints and dowels that held it in place. Then we sanded the surfaces on which the replacement pinblock will be installed. We will next use the old pinblock as a pattern for making its replacement.

16 – We cleaned and polished the agraffes and hitch pins, and we scrubbed the plate with soap.

17 – With the old pinblock screwed in place, we lifted the plate into the piano, placing the plate and pinblock in the correct position. With these parts in the proper position, we can prepare a sketch and record precise dimensions for the replacement pinblock.

18 - We sketched the pinblock position on a piece of butcher paper and recorded all measurements we would need for returning the plate and new pinblock to their proper location.

19 – We began the work of reconditioning the action by replacing all the whippens with new ones.

20 – We drew the line of the front edge of the pinblock on new pinblock material and made the first "rough cut" using our jig saw.

21 – We made a milar plastic pattern of the pinblock which will help us improve the fit.

22 – We corrected the cut of the pattern by placing it in the plate. We will use this template to improve the line of the new pinblock.

23 – We applied a layer of blue chalk to the plate surface and checked the accuracy of the cut by putting the new pinblock in place.

24 – We sanded the chalked areas of the pinblock, placed the pinblock in place, then sanded again, etc., until the chalk marks showed along the full length of the front of the pinblock.

25 – We clamped the pinblock into position for the final check.

26 – When the chalk marks showed along the length of the pinblock, we were sure that the pinblock would accept the tension of the strings.

27 – We cleaned and polished the plate screws.

28 – With the pinblock clamped to the plate, we drilled holes for the screws and installed the screws.

29 – We drilled short "starter holes" to mark the exact location of each tuning pin.

30 – We marked each tuning pin hole with black marker.

31 – We used previously made pattern blocks to mark the cut line where the pinblock will fit into the rim of the piano.

32 – We used our large wide-arm drill press to drill the tuning pin holes, at an angle of six degrees..

33 – We installed the finished pinblock in the keybed area with black felt at the rear edge to prevent squeaking  or rattling during playing.

34 – We inserted carpenter's glue into the cracks in the piano rim and clamped the repair area overnight.

35 – We applied sealer to the soundboard and bridges.

36 – We applied a urethane primer coat on the surfaces of the plate.

37 – We applied "pale gold" color coat to the plate.

38 – We applied an acrylic clear coat to the plate and stood it up near the heater for drying.

39 – We masked off the board from the rim moulding and applied black stain and satin lacquer to the inside surfaces of the rim.

40 – We lifted the plate into position and fastened all plate screws and bolts.

41 – We installed red understring felt.

42 – We placed the pinblock jack in position under the top treble section of the pinblock, for supporting it during restringing.

43 – We arranged the restringing tools and put a cardboard protective cover on the stretcher.

44 – We polished the aliquots and put the aliquot guides in place.

45 – The top treble section has been restrung and repinned.

46 - Restringing is complete, and we have "chipped" all strings close to concert pitch, so the final tuning before delivery will be relatively stable.

47 - We replaced the odd-numbered shanks and installed new hammers on them. When the glue has dried, we install the even-numbered shanks and hammers.

48 - We replaced the backchecks.

49 - We made a new keyframe guide and installed it into the keybed of the piano.

50 - We cleaned the keys, and replaced several missing and chipped keytops.

51 - We installed the odd-numbered hammers and shanks.

52 - We repaired the keyframe: several glue joints had come loose.

53 - We filed the keyfronts so they form a straight line.

54 - After cleaning the keyframe and polishing the key pins, we installed new underkey punchings and cloth.

55 - With lead weights on the backchecks, we regulated key heights and levelling, and keydip.

56 - We rebushed the balance rail holes of keys that wobbled.

57 - Several balance rail holes were too large, so we used a special drill bit to make a new hole in which we inserted special washers the right size.

58 - We made new regulating button cloth to replace the worn cloth, and also reshaped the rail to fit correctly under the new jack tails.

59 - With the action on our special regulating table and using the Jaras Regulating Jig, we conducted a complete regulation of all adjustments: hammer height & blow, letoff, drop, dip, and catching.

60 - We installed new casters.

61 - Regulation completed! We think the piano will play well.

62 - We cleaned the damper guides and installed them under the strings in the piano.

63 - We cleaned the "back action" to which the damper wires will be attached in the keybed, lubricated the springs, and tightened the screws.

64 - We installed new damper felts to the blocks.

65 - The back action is in place, and the dampers have been installed.

66 - Dampers are as good as new again!

67 - Although the strings were pulled up to pitch when they were installed, the pitch of these new strings went flat by at least a full tone. It will take at least 3 tunings to bring them up to A-440, and it will take additional tunings to establish pitch stability.

68 - We cleaned and polished the sostenuto bar and hardware.

69 - We installed the sostenuto bar and post, and regulated the position of the bar so it would work flawlessly.

70 - We removed and dismantled the pedal lyre as well as the trapwork attached to the underside of the keybed. We cleaned and polished all brass parts and screws and springs, installed new felt bushings, and reassembled this part of the piano.

71 - Using the "Fandrich-Rhodes Weightbench" computer program and special equipment for measuring upweights, downweights, and key weights, we analyzed the piano's touch. We reduced friction where possible by rebushing or lubricating moving parts.

72 - Using the digital analysis of readings, we set the "downweight goal" at 55g at the bass to 49g at the top treble, and we re-weighted those keys whose weight exceeded the "target weight" by over 4g--except the top two octaves which we left unaltered.

73 - We blackened the lettering on the brand-name embossed on the plate.

74 - We assembled and installed the fallboard.

75 - We assembled and installed the music desk.

76 - We cleaned and polished the lid hinges, then assembled and installed the piano lid and prop.

77 - We assembled and installed the music desk.