As a piano technician I Totally Get It! I've dismantled quite a few pianos through the years and repurposed the material for other things... it's still a saddening process for me. If pianos could talk...the story's they might share.
Can either one of you help me? Currently taking my piano apart and some of the pieces that hold the strings are stuck. Idk how to unstick them. I've tried olive oil...please help?
Dude! This video was perfect for getting me over the mental block that's been keeping me from dismantling the upright in our living room for years now! I love the idea of salvaging the beautiful wood, and really, really appreciate the warnings and tips about loosening the strings.
@@raywhatley5106 I did tak a sawzaw to mine and hit a cord on the back harp. Those cords are under a lot of tension like he said. They snap hard and I was ready but shocked at how if I was in the way it would’ve been painful if Id have been struck. What I ended up doing is taking every board off except the back and believe it or not the scrap yard took the boards that connected to the back harp metal and strings...so lucky me. 😁 BONUS!
I am about to begin taking apart a century old upright grand. This is invaluable. Especially the part about the strings. I knew there would be some tension, but I was just going to cut through. I think you may have just saved me from injury. I'll let you know how it went after.
Great tip on the 1/4” socket reversal to get the tuning pins out! Really saved further knuckle busting with the crescent wrench. Also the tidbit on having to remove the tuning pegs completely was appreciated; in wasn’t planning to do that either. Would love to see any videos on the sculptures and reclamation projects you did.
Great job with dissambly. For anyone watching this video, please don't burn the sound board! That soundboard was spruce..and musically aged as well. Could of been used to make some killer guitar tops. People love the sound of really old guitars due to the aged spruce sound . You can probably donate/sell it to a guitar maker. That way the soul of the piano lives on (through a few guitars).
I started crying when you played “Something” so yup, I get it. We’re in process of taking apart our huge, upright family piano & whoa - it’s kinda like losing a part of the family 🥹
Thank you so much for this video. I'm turning 60 and I've had my piano since I was 10. I don't remember the name of my piano but literally looks like yours. Hubby and I are retired teachers and have been trying to donate this piano for many years. Now we are going to do exactly what you did! And yes, I Get It!
Just wanted to make a suggestion: piano tuning kits are like $40 and contain a tuning wrench specifically designed to loosen those pegs. I got it de-strung in under an hour, no power tools necessary.
@@sherrymorris4660 this is the exact one I ordered: Onwon L-shape Piano Tuner Spanner Professional Wrench Square Shape Tip Tuning Hammer Tuner Spanner Tool
Thank you so much for this compassionate tutorial. My grandmother's upright has been sitting in our dining room un-played for 7 years since my son moved out. It has been making me feel alternately sad and hopeful that I could give it away. Several people have looked over the years. No one has taken it. Last night my husband and I finally took it apart and we are relieved. And a little sad.
Thank you for the video, I have wanted to get rid of an old piano for years now and just didn't know how. I watched many videos on how to take a piano apart and NO ONE showed the part I needed to know until I came across your video, how to take the strings of safely. So today was the day, I got it done up to where I need to lay it down and I will do that part when my son comes home so he can help me. I am super excited for the extra space we will have in the house now. THANK YOU!!!!!!
This video was perfect! It guided me through the whole process and when I was unsure, I emailed you and you responded assuring me that the strings wouldn't snap back at me when loosening them. Everything went so smoothly and I really appreciated it!
I get it! Haven't played in about 20 years. The beauty has been sitting at my parents house since the 1970s. As we are clearing up their estate, I CAN NOT JUST TAKE IT TO THE DUMP.😢 I want to repurpose as much of it as I can. Your videos have been the best guide. Thank you.
We watched your video and followed it . This deconstruction went smoothly, because of your guidance. Thanks for the warning on the strings! Now to repurpose some of those parts!!
Everything you have said is right on on trying to get someone to take an old piano. I have come to the conclusion that I need to take it apart. Your video is excellent! I think I can do it! Lol the step by step is great and also the warning about being careful with the strings! I would not have been aware of that. So pretty soon I will do that job and will be watching your video over and over I am sure. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Outstanding. I’m glad you find it useful! If, after you using it, you think it’s worth it, consider buying me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/BurkeMakesStuff If you have any questions throughout the project, feel free to reach out!
I TOTALLY GET IT!!! My Mom would wake everyone in the house on Sunday mornings, as she practiced the songs on that morning's church bulletin. The four of us kids all started young and quit as soon as we were bold enough to tell her we weren't gonna sit for her weekly lessons anymore, because we could see our friends playing outside while we practiced on the other side of the window. It is still a great regret of mine and disappointment that Mom let me quit. However, she didn't want to force us like her Mom did---all the way through, until she left for college. Yet, at 50 years old, I have the family piano that all our fingers have danced and clanged on, many decades ago, because I couldn't imagine it belonging to anyone else or decaying in a landfill. I knew this piano has potential: one day I would learn to teach my children how to play, and it would be fun! And....there it sat, taking up prime real estate in my living room. Fast forward, and even my only child gave up lessons well before she finished elementary school. She is a teenager now and so as I daydream and even scheme with the help of Pinterest, ideas have yet to garner my commitment to take action. Somehow, today I found you through TH-cam and I got choked up listening to you casually share what the family piano had meant to you, and play that one last song. Gosh, I hadn't planned to get choked up. My Dad has been gone for a few days shy of 15 years. But, you play a lot like he did, just a quick little ditty and quit before anyone really took notice that he still had "it." In that (too quick!) moment, it made me wonder what his last song was and marvel at what a man my father really was. So, I guess you just answered any doubts: I must save this beast , and get over knowing he will be looking down--and laughing at my sentimentality! Thank you for helping me realize that in repurposing that thing can bring me new joy!
I get it. I totally do. And thank you. I used your guidance generally to take apart a 1920-ish upright that was too far gone (mouse condo anyone?) to be salvaged as an instrument. I learned to play on it and couldn't bear to send it to the dump as my mother suggested. The wood will be turned into something along the console table/bookcase/sideboard line. I'm saving the screws and brass bits just. I'm still in the disassembly process and am enjoying seeing the careful engineering and precision that went into not only the assembly but the making of all the parts. Everything is so intentional, from the paper shims to the variety of felts. Only what contributes to the sound is allowed to make a sound. The craftsmanship is humbling.
my parents recently told me we're getting rid of the piano when it gets warm enough to take it apart. it really helped to watch this and see how much care you put into the whole process. i never thought about the "last song the piano will ever play bit" until your video, and now i'll make sure to play one last song before we take it apart, and i know just the song that will be a good sendoff.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! A 1973 Baldwin came with the house we just moved into about 6 months ago. At first the piano was a treasure then we all realized that we would never use it. We were all disappointed that I could not find a new home or organization that wanted it. Your vid helped us get it out of the house and into the dumpster very easily. And, may I add that the dismantle process felt like an honorable decommission rather than a destruction. Thank you so much for posting this vid! Have a wonderful new year❤
I SOOO GET IT!!! To me, and many other music/instrument lovers, it's not just an inanimate object ~ it's alive. An unplayed or unused and thereby unloved instrument ~ especially a piano is an extremely sad sight/notion/reality. I cry a little bit every time I see an ad for a free piano. Why? Because I know how it feels to be so unloved, pushed off to a corner, never allowed to sing. I want to "adopt" each and every one even though I was never taught to play this incredible choir. I would need such a large space to house them all. I want to breathe life back into them in some way. 🤓💜🌻🎼🎵🎶❤🌈💐
Glad to see how he did this in a safe and orderly way to remain safe. The tension on those old piano strings can be very dangerous. 11:28 Friends, please don't burn your old soundboards......omigosh that is old growth straight grain dry tonewood! Give or sell it to a guitar luthier to build new instruments out of. Violins, cellos, guitars, etc are all made of dry old spruce.
fenderstratguy I totally agree! This piano, however was CHEAP and the sound board wasn’t a single piece of wood, it was a composite of a BUNCH of smaller pieces.
my giant 100+ upright needs recycling, as I've not been able to even give it away. Thanks for all the detail. I'm not sure I'm up to the task, but I loved you sharing what worked and what didn't.
I get it. I literally started crying when you started talking about the last song. Ugh. My heart. I have a piano that is, like you said, heavy and hard for upkeep and am so excited (daunted) to do what you did!
Brilliant video. Saved me making a load of mistakes and made it so simple that it only took a couple of hours to get all of the strings off. Mine was a taller Henry Ward from around 1890 but all the same inside.
Thank you for this video. This is something I'm planning to do and use the parts I save as well. This makes it look so much easier than I was anticipating. This is awesome!
I TOTALLY get it! Have just spent a day in my storage unit dismantling my old piano. Sadly, it was beyond repair because the soundboard had split and it was built before they used crossply to build such things. It basically meant it could no longer be tuned. I played my final piece, filmed by my husband and then gradually dismantled it. I did have to snip my strings because I didn’t have the tool, but stood behind and cut from the top, which meant they pinged away from my body (and eyes!). I'm keeping the wood, keys and strings for projects. I just need to work out how to get those pegs out tomorrow!
The sound board is the most valuable piece. Usually it’s made of spruce and old spruce is amazing. I found a smashed up piano by the side of the road and managed to make a few ukulele tops from the spruce I have pieces that I use to repair and patch other spruce instruments tops ie a cello and a guitar. That’s the bit you really need to keep. Luthiers! You will need to remove the braces first but even the joins, once dreamed apart will leave you with lovely pieces.
So glad I watched this before attempting to take a sledge hammer to our piano. This video most likely saved some lives from the look of how dangerous the wires are. Thank you
I get it! And thanks for this video. Glad to hear about the string tension hazard. I’m getting ready to break down an upright piano and would have probably attempted cutting the strings. I too will be recycling the majority of the components and can’t wait! The weight of these things is ridiculous! I didn’t know they had a huge chunk of cast iron inside, no wonder they’re so heavy.
I wanted to reach out to thank you for this video. Watching this video prior to disassembling our piano made easy work of the process. I appreciate how thorough you were! I was able to have all the tools ready before I got started. I rigged the 1/4" square socket for removal of the string pins (thanks for telling me your error of not fully removing them the first go round!) I also used my electric drill instead of battery powered drill while removing the pins and it was a huge time saver.
I GET IT. I'm not a musician, but I own a junk removal company, and these big, tired beauties come across my work lineup more often than I would like, for all the reasons you articulated so well, as well as for others, too. I was never fortunate enough to be one of those entitled kids too young to understand the beauty & privilege of being driven to piano lessons so they just nagged & complained about it... No, not my life at all. So you can imagine how much I envied those children (and still do). The closest I've come to these venerable sentinels of a bygone era of classical music is being a contractor who, in his 30s, is now tasked with their removal/ termination. I have a little system/ritual, to make me feel better about what I have to do: with each piano, I first take a moment to sit with my imagination of how many people it has served over the years, and how many hallways it flooded with that gorgeous melody that is distinctly, uniquely, and beautifully piano, and like nothing else on earth-I run my fingers gently across the keys, and wonder how many others' hands have found their inspiration at this very spot. And, in that moment, I pay homage to the piano on behalf of all those who loved it temporarily but then left it in their past like a clunky piece of forgotten garbage. To me, the piano is not totally inanimate: listening with your heart, one can feel it has a sort of spirit; and, as a junk remover that takes his business very seriously, it absolutely breaks my heart to have to tear one of these antique beauties down. Matter of fact, I'm here watching this video right now because, on the other side of sunrise, I have a 117-year old piano that I must terminate. Its disassembly is likely to require the average 6 hours of my time since I go 100%, all the way down to total isolation of the harp. So the breakdown will produce numerous salvageable materials that go directly into my company's giveaway stream which partners with dozens of local artisans & benefactors. But although the salvaged pieces will certainly find new, second lives in countless home repurposings & quirky art pieces, the piano of course will never again be whole, never again play a song for anyone, never again sing in its unique voice. And, from the piano's perspective, I think about that, as if it's a prisoner walking down a hallway toward the execution chamber, and a spirit of immense sadness envelops me. I'm hoping to glean some new insight from your video (learning never stops, and I certainly don't know it all) to assist me in tomorrow's breakdown. I'm absolutely dreading it, but it must be done. This piano has outlived everything/ is the single oldest piece to ever come across my workdash in the history of my business...and, despite that 90%+ of it will be recycled due to my unique approach, it still makes me feel like a murderer with blood on his hands whenever I have to unload my tools and somberly walk them into the garage, lie them around the base of the piano like carefully curated weapons of euthanasia. Indeed, I have cried once or twice [or more] whenever pianos come up in my work, and I try to talk the customer into keeping them, but I have yet to be successful in that conversion chat. I dread it so much, and while I know so many would readily make fun of my emotional reaction to dismantling a piano, I personally see it as so very sad to remove a piano from its musical life. As I mentioned before, I am a mover and not a musician; so, I don't know how to play. But I will attempt to play a little of Sampha's "Nobody Knows Me (Like The Piano)" tomorrow morning before I begin the arduous task of laying her to rest. That's my little goodbye song for the pianos I have to kill, as I inwardly beg their advance forgiveness for what my work requires me to do. After all, it has been 117 years: she has lived through 2 world wars, the Great Depression, numerous recessions, countless presidents, and too many other time-marks to enumerate...and though she has brought musical joy to many, she is probably very, very tired. It's time for her to rest, and apparently her termination was deliberately laid into my hands by the Universe because It knew I would honor her the best way anyone in my shoes possibly could. There is so much more to junk removal than people think: it's all about energy, recycling, & love. Like I said... I GET IT. 💔🎹🙏🏽
Exactly!!! Thanks for the ritual, I will use parts of what you said. As I said above looking for old pianos for the wood, feeling evil, this could help. Doesn't mean I won't cry as I take it apart. I also feel the way you do about my old tools, some from a defunct steel mill, I just imagine what they helped build and who used them!!!
Unsolicited suggestion: Your thoughtful and articulate comments deserve to be broken up into paragraphs to make for easier reading A little air can do wonders; it enables a text to breathe freely.
Wow. Beautifully expressed. You have moved me to tears, articulating so many of my feelings and thoughts. Thank you for this lovely elegy to old pianos. ❤
Thank you for your beautifully written account of your experiences and the old and discarded pianos that have crossed your path. We are one of those families that have to say goodbye to a family piano that brought joy and to take it a part will be so hard. I helps when there are people out there that feel as you do, Thank you
I definitely get it. I work for a nationwide piano moving company, and the first day I reported to work I had my mind blown by their dumpster full of old pianos! Movers know what I'm talking about. But I have also seen some amazing and creative upcycling of tired old pianos. I'm going to use some pieces in a skoolie I'm building.
A dumpster of pianos is super sad and probably an amazing thing to photograph! What’s your favorite recycled piece that you’ve seen? Still trying to figure out what to do with the keys.
Hey Burke! I was taking apart my piano over the past weekend and used a "drum key" to loosen the strings. I fashioned a wrench of sorts from a piece of the piano (like a caveman), but it worked perfectly. YOU CAN ALSO GET DRUM KEYS AS A DRILL BIT. Spread the word, it will save the trip to the box store for the kluge attempt.
I use one of those large winding handles with a square hole (hex or square bolt / nut to keep in place) and attach whichever square size (clock keys work as well as drum keys) or use a hand drill by fitting the drum key/clock key in the sizable beak thing the drill but goes in and I have a much better much more efficient tool.
I am SO glad I watched this, because I cannot get anyone to take my free piano and was at the point of wanting to bash it down, but when you talked about the dangerous part and knowing I could have slashed my face open WHOA, I am so glad I didn't do this! Thanks for the vid 😊
We're the same, so my husband is following this and we are going to make something beautiful with at least some of the pieces of the beautiful casing, then I will have something to remember her by (though she is in my heart forever, like my parents, and all my grandparents!)
That’s what I ended up doing. Took the pieces and used them to make an easel / picture display / hanging thingy for my parents and sister. Came out awesome!!!!
Really great video! My only suggestion is that you buy the actual drill socket designed for tuning pins. You can get it on Amazon for $33. Also, use a brace instead of an electric drill. Much safer.
Burke, we owe you! Our 1970’s Kimball upright was not being played except at Christmas if my nephew came to visit (the only pianist in the family). Getting the ground floor recarpeted meant that we HAD to move the piano…carpet installers will not move pianos. We found your video tonight and it save us soooo much stress!!!!! My 72-yo sis and I got it disassembled to the part where we had to detension the strings. We will do that part tomorrow after the carpet install, but thanks to your video we at least took all the other parts off which made it much easier to roll into another room. Thanks, Burke!!!
I get it! The piano I learned on is from 1893. It’s completely unplayable and I want to save it somehow, so I’m thinking of turning it into a case for my Nord. A second life is way better than the dump, but there’s a lot of sentimental value in the instrument in its original form.
I attended a theatrical production where they had done exactly that- in fact their piano carcass was partially "real", cut at an angle, and the rear portion was painted into the backdrop.
I took just a couple pianos as a trial to see how hard and if it's worth my time to get the harps for scrap. Now that I see how you removed this harp it will be much easier thanks
David Plass fair! I was musical my whole life. Snag professionally, played piano, trombone bass toro bone. Almost became a music teacher. Was in college for it, but the college I was in was 100% classical music program. After reading, analyzing, writing and playing it 8 hours a day for 2 years, it sucked my live of music out of my soul. Kinda crazy! Lol
I get it! Just bought a new grand and am preparing to take my old family grand piano (~100 years old) apart and upcycle. The last song thing has been HAUNTING me too. Really appreciating this video!
Don't want anyone to be discouraged from getting their own free piano: it's ok not to have your piano tuned consistently, especially if it's an old one. Personally, I like that kind of sound anyway!
Thank you so much for this great guide -- you are a gifted teacher! I used it to dissect a piano left by the people who sold my house to me (now I know why they left it behind). I hit a bunch of snags along the way so it took two months. I found that my drill wasn't strong enough to turn the string pegs, but I bought a cheap (manual) piano key which provided enough torque for me to loosen all the pegs. Then I bought a drum key drill bit (which fit the pegs perfectly) and went back through with the drill to take the pegs the rest of the way out. I put all the metal to the curb for scrappers, but am keeping all the wood for future projects which I'm sure your other videos will inspire!
I'm a piano technician, and when I used to restring pianos, I would use the special drill socket designed for tuning pins ($33 on Amazon) and a brace. Very fast and safe.
I get it! It was the first thing my husband and I bought. It ended creating so many memories of my son composing and playing it. He competed in the World Championships of Performing Arts in Long Beach,CA before he died. Its not just an instrument anymore. Our damper bar fell onto the keys, making repair more expensive than the piano is worth so I want to repurpose it into a shelve for my son’s talent show trophies.
Katrina Pedri lol! Sleep is over-rated. And I still have 2 pianos in my classroom that I’m not allowed to dispose of. Wish I could. One is in decent shape and the other barely works.
I get it! Thank you for sharing your heart!! You are so right. It makes me feel less weird to be so attached to this thing that is way more than a thing!
I TOTALLY GET IT! I have an old upright mahogany piano that is over 100 years old and beyond being repaired musically. It is a beautiful piece that my uncle and I are going to work on making it a prohibition bar:
Ran across your video because I'm in the middle of taking apart at a Bush and Lane piano from late 1800s. I really honestly thought that there was a lot of good wood in this piano but in truth, there's a lot of good veneer work that has been done to make things look very good. I was looking for some mahogany. Found a little but not nearly enough to make this difficult project worthwhile.
Walking to the mailbox yesterday, I saw a piece of wood at the edge of the neighbor’s driveway. It had a notch in it and a ball headed screw. I thought, “That looks vaguely familiar.”. Sure enough, it was a piano key. As I remember, the previous neighbor had said he had an old piano in the basement that would probably stay there forever. My guess is that the new owners decided to tear it apart and haul it away. I’ll have to check. But, I now have a unique remembrance. Wish I would have known what they were doing, but kind of glad I didn’t. At 79, I don’t need to create any more unnecessary work for myself, even if would have been interesting. Had just subscribed to your channel, was looking through your past postings when I saw this piano being re-purposed. Thanks!
I did a video on what would happen if a piano wire would break. Now it might had just been that the piano was over 70 years old but I didn't get the crazy snap-back of the wire when I used wire cutters to cut the strings, I cut small ones and the larger copper wrapped ones and although they broke it wasn't a dangerous break. Ot saying it won't or couldn't happen it just didn't on this piano. I do appreciate the fact you show that you do definitely have to remove a the tuning keys WOW
Thanks for this video. I found this video (and your channel) by searching for a video on how to dismantle a piano... cos I'll need to do just that soon.
Have an old, needed to go to the graveyard piano that no one wanted and I was wondering how hard it would be to dismantle it. This video is great. Looks like I’ve found my summer project to tackle!
We are living in Italy and about to return to the states, we appreciate the video because we are about to dismantle our piano. Thank you for the heads up! We plan on salvaging what we can as well!
I totally get it. We have a family heirloom. Piano is about 120 years old. We have had this Piano professionally moved 3 times. We are downsizing and I felt terrible no one wanted this Piano. You have given me an awsome alternative.
Thank you! I'm a music teacher and we are dissecting a donated piano in my classroom. Your video was my first bit of research before I meet with my carpenter. Very much appreciated!
Katy McNiff awesome! I’m a theater teacher in NYC and one of the first things I did 11 years ago when I started, was take apart one of the 3 pianos in my classroom! Great project! Any chance you could send me a pic or 2 of the process to throw up on my Instagram feed?
@@BurkeMakesStuff absolutley! I don't use Instagram but will see if I can get a class set of parents to allow me to upload a youtube video to my school channel.
4 year old video, so not sure if you’ll see this comment; But at 4:15 you mentioned you’d be using that hammer assembly for an art piece. I’m about to disassemble a 1940s-era Story & Clark spinet that’s no longer tunable and would love to find a way to preserve and display elements of the piano. (It was my mom’s as a child, and the one I learned on between the ages of 6 and 18, so it has sentimental value. I just don’t want to move it anymore. )
Yup. I follow all the comments on my videos…. Mostly. lol. Yes. I have many ideas for the innards. Though I haven’t done it yet, my favorite is the idea of making/buying a clear acrylic coffee table that is large enough to fit all the hammer mechanisms and display it that way.
Thank you for your video. My grandparents passed away several years ago, and their upright piano was the only thing I wanted...I also didn't have to fight anyone for it! Problem was, it was in their basement and because of remodeling, there was no longer a way to get it out in one piece. I finally got to tackle it this weekend and it went pretty smoothly. It was a 1915 Kimball Co. Upright. I plan on refinishing it to make a sideboard/buffet of sorts. I will be using the keys to make a keepsake for every child and grandchild and I'll be using the pins and wires to create a wall clock. Very excited to have this piece in my home.
Thanks so much! For the sadness of dismantling a musical instrument, you made it easier. I’ll look for your videos to show your projects from the piano! 12:11
Not weird at all! I get it. Our energies (& sometimes literal sweat, tears, etc) go in to objects and a “last song” that connects us to something like a piano holds sentimental value. At least you’ll have some of those parts to cherish! Thank you so much for this. I have seen other videos and have gotten as far as removing panels, keyboard, and pedals but was always too afraid to attempt the removal of those strings (I have kept the giant empty shell as an entertainment center until I could move forward. I feel very confident about completing the task now after watching your video. I have that bit in my tool bag. Yay!
Thank you so much for the video! I used your video the past two days for my piano disassembly and the hardest part was made faster using your trick with the backwards socket. I used a ratchet concoction to turn it about seven revolutions then I used heavy duty pliers to grip, twist and pull them out.
I so get it. Am just taking apart my family piano which has so much story attached to it. Replacing it with a new one which will be lovely, but seriously hard to do!!!!
Finally took the plunge to dismantle our piano. Sad , but I totally agree, no one wants a second hand average piano. The family enjoyed it for a good spell, with kids at school but it was now out of tune and monstrously heavy to move. A great tip about removing the tuning pegs with that reversed socket.No string cutting required, just loosening and unhooking. Managed to dismantle our piano in 2 1/2 hours using one spare re-chargeable battery for my drill . Most of the wood is veneered MDF, so heading for the dump. Hoping for interest from a local scrap metal collector for the frame, otherwise some heavy lifting and taking to the recycling centre. I think my joints will react a bit tomorrow morning, but a great feeling having done the deed.
Thank you Thank you Thank You. I inherited my grandfathers piano years ago. We are downsizing and I've been struggling to find a way to get rid of the piano. You are correct, no one wants them even when you attempt to give them away for free. But I have been wanting to make some craft projects with some of the components. Your video is EXACTLY what I was looking for since there is no possible way I'm going to carry this piano out of my basement.
Great Step by Step how to. Had it completely taken apart in a few hours. Only the large metal piece was hard to remove from house but; managed. Thank you for sharring.
The bit is for small screwdriver bits.👍
At least for Science
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As a piano technician I Totally Get It! I've dismantled quite a few pianos through the years and repurposed the material for other things... it's still a saddening process for me. If pianos could talk...the story's they might share.
What do you use the keys for? My wife and I have differing opinions and so they simply sit, waiting for the perfect project.
Can either one of you help me? Currently taking my piano apart and some of the pieces that hold the strings are stuck. Idk how to unstick them. I've tried olive oil...please help?
I get it, I dismantled a very old accordion a little while ago, and the last song it was pirates of the caribbean
Phenomenal!!! I've been trying to give a piano away for 2 years. NO ONE WANTS THEM. Thank YOU!
@@dianesmith339 how did it end up going? Did you get to take it apart? I hope the video was valuable to your efforts.
Dude! This video was perfect for getting me over the mental block that's been keeping me from dismantling the upright in our living room for years now! I love the idea of salvaging the beautiful wood, and really, really appreciate the warnings and tips about loosening the strings.
Glad I could help. Save as much of the wood as you can!
I get it. I am watching so I can dismantle my
Dad's piano . He passed away when I was 12 so those memories are precious
I hope this video helps!
I’m a 71 year old female destructing a piano right now- I learned so much- thanks!!
You are EXTREMELY welcome! If you found it of value, maybe consider buying me a cup of coffee: buymeacoffee.com/BurkeMakesStuff
This beats the sledge hammer approach we were contemplating.
Lol believe me I contemplated it too!
@@miwarrior060709 I guess I'll abandon my chain saw idea. Too much danger in hitting anything metal.
@@raywhatley5106 I did tak a sawzaw to mine and hit a cord on the back harp. Those cords are under a lot of tension like he said. They snap hard and I was ready but shocked at how if I was in the way it would’ve been painful if Id have been struck. What I ended up doing is taking every board off except the back and believe it or not the scrap yard took the boards that connected to the back harp metal and strings...so lucky me. 😁 BONUS!
I tried that it was very noisy, fun tho
It defends itself with its 220 whip-like tentacles
I am about to begin taking apart a century old upright grand. This is invaluable. Especially the part about the strings. I knew there would be some tension, but I was just going to cut through. I think you may have just saved me from injury. I'll let you know how it went after.
Great tip on the 1/4” socket reversal to get the tuning pins out! Really saved further knuckle busting with the crescent wrench. Also the tidbit on having to remove the tuning pegs completely was appreciated; in wasn’t planning to do that either. Would love to see any videos on the sculptures and reclamation projects you did.
Great job with dissambly. For anyone watching this video, please don't burn the sound board! That soundboard was spruce..and musically aged as well. Could of been used to make some killer guitar tops. People love the sound of really old guitars due to the aged spruce sound . You can probably donate/sell it to a guitar maker. That way the soul of the piano lives on (through a few guitars).
That or donate it to a piano that needs a new soundboard🎹🎶
That’s a great idea!! Thank you!!!❤
I started crying when you played “Something” so yup, I get it. We’re in process of taking apart our huge, upright family piano & whoa - it’s kinda like losing a part of the family 🥹
I totally get that! ❤️❤️❤️ well I hope you find the video both helpful and valuable!
Thank you so much for this video. I'm turning 60 and I've had my piano since I was 10. I don't remember the name of my piano but literally looks like yours. Hubby and I are retired teachers and have been trying to donate this piano for many years. Now we are going to do exactly what you did! And yes, I Get It!
I'm just glad I could Help! I'm a teacher too. In NYC
I have an upright that I have to do the same to. Wasn't sure how to proceed and this video helped! Be careful of those strings, wear safety goggles!
Just wanted to make a suggestion: piano tuning kits are like $40 and contain a tuning wrench specifically designed to loosen those pegs. I got it de-strung in under an hour, no power tools necessary.
Amazon has just the tool for $7 too
I recommend using a brace and the special drill socket designed for tuning pins. But I agree, better not to use the electric drill.
@@Whittrocks777 what's the specific name of the tool on Amazon, for ordering purposes?
@@sherrymorris4660 this is the exact one I ordered: Onwon L-shape Piano Tuner Spanner Professional Wrench Square Shape Tip Tuning Hammer Tuner Spanner Tool
I got the Onwon tuner and the handle came off. The pins take a lot of force so I’d get a more heavy duty one
You saved me $175 for a piano tech to come out and take his time loosening the strings with that socket trick. Thank you
You’re very welcome. Consider buying me a coffee.
buymeacoffee.com/BurkeMakesStuff
Thank you so much for this compassionate tutorial. My grandmother's upright has been sitting in our dining room un-played for 7 years since my son moved out. It has been making me feel alternately sad and hopeful that I could give it away. Several people have looked over the years. No one has taken it. Last night my husband and I finally took it apart and we are relieved. And a little sad.
I totally understand ❤️
Thank you for the video, I have wanted to get rid of an old piano for years now and just didn't know how. I watched many videos on how to take a piano apart and NO ONE showed the part I needed to know until I came across your video, how to take the strings of safely. So today was the day, I got it done up to where I need to lay it down and I will do that part when my son comes home so he can help me. I am super excited for the extra space we will have in the house now. THANK YOU!!!!!!
This video was perfect! It guided me through the whole process and when I was unsure, I emailed you and you responded assuring me that the strings wouldn't snap back at me when loosening them. Everything went so smoothly and I really appreciated it!
I’m so glad!!! If you found it so valuable, consider buying me a coffee!
buymeacoffee.com/BurkeMakesStuff
I’ve found that wedging a length of foam behind the strings will deaden them, similar to when tuning them.
I get it! Haven't played in about 20 years. The beauty has been sitting at my parents house since the 1970s. As we are clearing up their estate, I CAN NOT JUST TAKE IT TO THE DUMP.😢 I want to repurpose as much of it as I can. Your videos have been the best guide. Thank you.
I totally understand that! I’m hope you found it valuable!
We watched your video and followed it . This deconstruction went smoothly, because of your guidance. Thanks for the warning on the strings! Now to repurpose some of those parts!!
Thank you SO much. We have a piano nobody wanted and it’s been collecting dust for years. This was such a perfect step by step tutorial
How’d it go?
Everything you have said is right on on trying to get someone to take an old piano. I have come to the conclusion that I need to take it apart. Your video is excellent! I think I can do it! Lol the step by step is great and also the warning about being careful with the strings! I would not have been aware of that. So pretty soon I will do that job and will be watching your video over and over I am sure. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Glad I can help!
This was just what I was looking for and very thorough. And Burke is funny and enjoyable to watch.
Thank you, Bridget!
Hey Mr Burke! I am in your FAPA class and you are a great teacher! This video is great! Keep up the good work! By the way I GET IT!
I plan to make my piano into a desk for my wife....Thx this is the easiest to follow vid on TH-cam.
Outstanding. I’m glad you find it useful! If, after you using it, you think it’s worth it, consider buying me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/BurkeMakesStuff If you have any questions throughout the project, feel free to reach out!
I TOTALLY GET IT!!! My Mom would wake everyone in the house on Sunday mornings, as she practiced the songs on that morning's church bulletin. The four of us kids all started young and quit as soon as we were bold enough to tell her we weren't gonna sit for her weekly lessons anymore, because we could see our friends playing outside while we practiced on the other side of the window. It is still a great regret of mine and disappointment that Mom let me quit. However, she didn't want to force us like her Mom did---all the way through, until she left for college. Yet, at 50 years old, I have the family piano that all our fingers have danced and clanged on, many decades ago, because I couldn't imagine it belonging to anyone else or decaying in a landfill. I knew this piano has potential: one day I would learn to teach my children how to play, and it would be fun! And....there it sat, taking up prime real estate in my living room. Fast forward, and even my only child gave up lessons well before she finished elementary school. She is a teenager now and so as I daydream and even scheme with the help of Pinterest, ideas have yet to garner my commitment to take action. Somehow, today I found you through TH-cam and I got choked up listening to you casually share what the family piano had meant to you, and play that one last song. Gosh, I hadn't planned to get choked up. My Dad has been gone for a few days shy of 15 years. But, you play a lot like he did, just a quick little ditty and quit before anyone really took notice that he still had "it." In that (too quick!) moment, it made me wonder what his last song was and marvel at what a man my father really was. So, I guess you just answered any doubts: I must save this beast , and get over knowing he will be looking down--and laughing at my sentimentality! Thank you for helping me realize that in repurposing that thing can bring me new joy!
I love this post!
Great Job Burke!! I really enjoyed your video, thanks for all the insight - time to break down my old piano!
Outstanding! I hope you find it valuable!
I get it! I just started taking mine apart, not as far as what you did. It has 150 years of dirt. Can’t wait to see your artwork
I get it. I totally do. And thank you. I used your guidance generally to take apart a 1920-ish upright that was too far gone (mouse condo anyone?) to be salvaged as an instrument. I learned to play on it and couldn't bear to send it to the dump as my mother suggested. The wood will be turned into something along the console table/bookcase/sideboard line. I'm saving the screws and brass bits just. I'm still in the disassembly process and am enjoying seeing the careful engineering and precision that went into not only the assembly but the making of all the parts. Everything is so intentional, from the paper shims to the variety of felts. Only what contributes to the sound is allowed to make a sound. The craftsmanship is humbling.
Absolutely!
my parents recently told me we're getting rid of the piano when it gets warm enough to take it apart. it really helped to watch this and see how much care you put into the whole process. i never thought about the "last song the piano will ever play bit" until your video, and now i'll make sure to play one last song before we take it apart, and i know just the song that will be a good sendoff.
Outstanding!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! A 1973 Baldwin came with the house we just moved into about 6 months ago. At first the piano was a treasure then we all realized that we would never use it. We were all disappointed that I could not find a new home or organization that wanted it. Your vid helped us get it out of the house and into the dumpster very easily. And, may I add that the dismantle process felt like an honorable decommission rather than a destruction. Thank you so much for posting this vid! Have a wonderful new year❤
I’m glad I could help
I SOOO GET IT!!! To me, and many other music/instrument lovers, it's not just an inanimate object ~ it's alive. An unplayed or unused and thereby unloved instrument ~ especially a piano is an extremely sad sight/notion/reality. I cry a little bit every time I see an ad for a free piano. Why? Because I know how it feels to be so unloved, pushed off to a corner, never allowed to sing. I want to "adopt" each and every one even though I was never taught to play this incredible choir. I would need such a large space to house them all. I want to breathe life back into them in some way. 🤓💜🌻🎼🎵🎶❤🌈💐
Glad to see how he did this in a safe and orderly way to remain safe. The tension on those old piano strings can be very dangerous.
11:28 Friends, please don't burn your old soundboards......omigosh that is old growth straight grain dry tonewood! Give or sell it to a guitar luthier to build new instruments out of. Violins, cellos, guitars, etc are all made of dry old spruce.
fenderstratguy I totally agree! This piano, however was CHEAP and the sound board wasn’t a single piece of wood, it was a composite of a BUNCH of smaller pieces.
my giant 100+ upright needs recycling, as I've not been able to even give it away. Thanks for all the detail. I'm not sure I'm up to the task, but I loved you sharing what worked and what didn't.
My pleasure! If you take your time, I’m sure you can handle it. It’s not hard work, just a lot of it.
I get it. I literally started crying when you started talking about the last song. Ugh. My heart. I have a piano that is, like you said, heavy and hard for upkeep and am so excited (daunted) to do what you did!
You almost made me cry with the last song. I am not a musician but I am sentimental about family heirlooms.
Leonard Locatis absolutely! Some crying is good. Trying to teach that to my 5 year old.
Brilliant video. Saved me making a load of mistakes and made it so simple that it only took a couple of hours to get all of the strings off.
Mine was a taller Henry Ward from around 1890 but all the same inside.
Glad I could help!
Thank you for this video. This is something I'm planning to do and use the parts I save as well. This makes it look so much easier than I was anticipating. This is awesome!
My pleasure
I TOTALLY get it! Have just spent a day in my storage unit dismantling my old piano. Sadly, it was beyond repair because the soundboard had split and it was built before they used crossply to build such things. It basically meant it could no longer be tuned. I played my final piece, filmed by my husband and then gradually dismantled it. I did have to snip my strings because I didn’t have the tool, but stood behind and cut from the top, which meant they pinged away from my body (and eyes!). I'm keeping the wood, keys and strings for projects. I just need to work out how to get those pegs out tomorrow!
The sound board is the most valuable piece. Usually it’s made of spruce and old spruce is amazing. I found a smashed up piano by the side of the road and managed to make a few ukulele tops from the spruce I have pieces that I use to repair and patch other spruce instruments tops ie a cello and a guitar. That’s the bit you really need to keep. Luthiers! You will need to remove the braces first but even the joins, once dreamed apart will leave you with lovely pieces.
From the end of the video It looks like t
the sound board got burnt. Aaagh!
@@suryahitam3588 Yep. The guy is a huge doofus!
So glad I watched this before attempting to take a sledge hammer to our piano. This video most likely saved some lives from the look of how dangerous the wires are. Thank you
I get it! And thanks for this video. Glad to hear about the string tension hazard. I’m getting ready to break down an upright piano and would have probably attempted cutting the strings. I too will be recycling the majority of the components and can’t wait! The weight of these things is ridiculous! I didn’t know they had a huge chunk of cast iron inside, no wonder they’re so heavy.
Awesome! What are you planning to make out of the pieces you save?
I wanted to reach out to thank you for this video. Watching this video prior to disassembling our piano made easy work of the process. I appreciate how thorough you were! I was able to have all the tools ready before I got started. I rigged the 1/4" square socket for removal of the string pins (thanks for telling me your error of not fully removing them the first go round!) I also used my electric drill instead of battery powered drill while removing the pins and it was a huge time saver.
Glad it helped!
I get it!! Great choice of a decommissioning tune!
I am here to learn how to break down the piano that came with the purchase of my house. You are so right about the number of pianos around for free
Rock on!
I GET IT.
I'm not a musician, but I own a junk removal company, and these big, tired beauties come across my work lineup more often than I would like, for all the reasons you articulated so well, as well as for others, too. I was never fortunate enough to be one of those entitled kids too young to understand the beauty & privilege of being driven to piano lessons so they just nagged & complained about it... No, not my life at all. So you can imagine how much I envied those children (and still do). The closest I've come to these venerable sentinels of a bygone era of classical music is being a contractor who, in his 30s, is now tasked with their removal/ termination. I have a little system/ritual, to make me feel better about what I have to do: with each piano, I first take a moment to sit with my imagination of how many people it has served over the years, and how many hallways it flooded with that gorgeous melody that is distinctly, uniquely, and beautifully piano, and like nothing else on earth-I run my fingers gently across the keys, and wonder how many others' hands have found their inspiration at this very spot. And, in that moment, I pay homage to the piano on behalf of all those who loved it temporarily but then left it in their past like a clunky piece of forgotten garbage. To me, the piano is not totally inanimate: listening with your heart, one can feel it has a sort of spirit; and, as a junk remover that takes his business very seriously, it absolutely breaks my heart to have to tear one of these antique beauties down. Matter of fact, I'm here watching this video right now because, on the other side of sunrise, I have a 117-year old piano that I must terminate. Its disassembly is likely to require the average 6 hours of my time since I go 100%, all the way down to total isolation of the harp. So the breakdown will produce numerous salvageable materials that go directly into my company's giveaway stream which partners with dozens of local artisans & benefactors. But although the salvaged pieces will certainly find new, second lives in countless home repurposings & quirky art pieces, the piano of course will never again be whole, never again play a song for anyone, never again sing in its unique voice. And, from the piano's perspective, I think about that, as if it's a prisoner walking down a hallway toward the execution chamber, and a spirit of immense sadness envelops me. I'm hoping to glean some new insight from your video (learning never stops, and I certainly don't know it all) to assist me in tomorrow's breakdown. I'm absolutely dreading it, but it must be done. This piano has outlived everything/ is the single oldest piece to ever come across my workdash in the history of my business...and, despite that 90%+ of it will be recycled due to my unique approach, it still makes me feel like a murderer with blood on his hands whenever I have to unload my tools and somberly walk them into the garage, lie them around the base of the piano like carefully curated weapons of euthanasia. Indeed, I have cried once or twice [or more] whenever pianos come up in my work, and I try to talk the customer into keeping them, but I have yet to be successful in that conversion chat. I dread it so much, and while I know so many would readily make fun of my emotional reaction to dismantling a piano, I personally see it as so very sad to remove a piano from its musical life. As I mentioned before, I am a mover and not a musician; so, I don't know how to play. But I will attempt to play a little of Sampha's "Nobody Knows Me (Like The Piano)" tomorrow morning before I begin the arduous task of laying her to rest. That's my little goodbye song for the pianos I have to kill, as I inwardly beg their advance forgiveness for what my work requires me to do. After all, it has been 117 years: she has lived through 2 world wars, the Great Depression, numerous recessions, countless presidents, and too many other time-marks to enumerate...and though she has brought musical joy to many, she is probably very, very tired. It's time for her to rest, and apparently her termination was deliberately laid into my hands by the Universe because It knew I would honor her the best way anyone in my shoes possibly could. There is so much more to junk removal than people think: it's all about energy, recycling, & love.
Like I said... I GET IT. 💔🎹🙏🏽
117. Damn!!!!
Exactly!!! Thanks for the ritual, I will use parts of what you said. As I said above looking for old pianos for the wood, feeling evil, this could help. Doesn't mean I won't cry as I take it apart. I also feel the way you do about my old tools, some from a defunct steel mill, I just imagine what they helped build and who used them!!!
Unsolicited suggestion: Your thoughtful and articulate comments deserve to be broken up into paragraphs to make for easier reading
A little air can do wonders; it enables a text to breathe freely.
Wow. Beautifully expressed. You have moved me to tears, articulating so many of my feelings and thoughts. Thank you for this lovely elegy to old pianos. ❤
Thank you for your beautifully written account of your experiences and the old and discarded pianos that have crossed your path. We are one of those families that have to say goodbye to a family piano that brought joy and to take it a part will be so hard. I helps when there are people out there that feel as you do, Thank you
I definitely get it. I work for a nationwide piano moving company, and the first day I reported to work I had my mind blown by their dumpster full of old pianos! Movers know what I'm talking about. But I have also seen some amazing and creative upcycling of tired old pianos. I'm going to use some pieces in a skoolie I'm building.
A dumpster of pianos is super sad and probably an amazing thing to photograph!
What’s your favorite recycled piece that you’ve seen? Still trying to figure out what to do with the keys.
Hey Burke! I was taking apart my piano over the past weekend and used a "drum key" to loosen the strings. I fashioned a wrench of sorts from a piece of the piano (like a caveman), but it worked perfectly. YOU CAN ALSO GET DRUM KEYS AS A DRILL BIT. Spread the word, it will save the trip to the box store for the kluge attempt.
Outstanding!!!! Good to know!
I use one of those large winding handles with a square hole (hex or square bolt / nut to keep in place) and attach whichever square size (clock keys work as well as drum keys) or use a hand drill by fitting the drum key/clock key in the sizable beak thing the drill but goes in and I have a much better much more efficient tool.
I am SO glad I watched this, because I cannot get anyone to take my free piano and was at the point of wanting to bash it down, but when you talked about the dangerous part and knowing I could have slashed my face open WHOA, I am so glad I didn't do this! Thanks for the vid 😊
Oustanding! I’m glad you found it so useful! If you found it valuable, consider buying me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/BurkeMakesStuff
this video was just what I needed to get an old piano out of the house.
Without spending houndreds of dollars...
@@JoJo__99 Did you try donating it for free on an App? I got one off OfferUp where we picked it up and made a fountain out of it :-)
I've been trying to find a home for my grandma's piano for quite awhile. This was very helpful thank you.
We're the same, so my husband is following this and we are going to make something beautiful with at least some of the pieces of the beautiful casing, then I will have something to remember her by (though she is in my heart forever, like my parents, and all my grandparents!)
That’s what I ended up doing. Took the pieces and used them to make an easel / picture display / hanging thingy for my parents and sister. Came out awesome!!!!
Really great video! My only suggestion is that you buy the actual drill socket designed for tuning pins. You can get it on Amazon for $33. Also, use a brace instead of an electric drill. Much safer.
Thanks for the tips!
33$ seems incredibly overpriced for one socket. Clock keys work as well. And are easy to affix to drills.
What is brace? Too vague for Google,
So I’m wondering what you made from the parts. If you made the sculpture, can you post a link here? I can’t find it.
I get it.... I'll play a song on mine right before I take it apart. One that my husband loved to hear me attempt a gazillion times...
Burke, we owe you! Our 1970’s Kimball upright was not being played except at Christmas if my nephew came to visit (the only pianist in the family). Getting the ground floor recarpeted meant that we HAD to move the piano…carpet installers will not move pianos. We found your video tonight and it save us soooo much stress!!!!! My 72-yo sis and I got it disassembled to the part where we had to detension the strings. We will do that part tomorrow after the carpet install, but thanks to your video we at least took all the other parts off which made it much easier to roll into another room. Thanks, Burke!!!
My pleasure!
I get it!
The piano I learned on is from 1893. It’s completely unplayable and I want to save it somehow, so I’m thinking of turning it into a case for my Nord.
A second life is way better than the dump, but there’s a lot of sentimental value in the instrument in its original form.
I attended a theatrical production where they had done exactly that- in fact their piano carcass was partially "real", cut at an angle, and the rear portion was painted into the backdrop.
turn it into a cocktail cabinet, or bookshelf. You’ll love it
I took just a couple pianos as a trial to see how hard and if it's worth my time to get the harps for scrap. Now that I see how you removed this harp it will be much easier thanks
My parents still have the piano I learned on. I still play when I visit. Even so, "I don't know what you're talking about."
David Plass fair! I was musical my whole life. Snag professionally, played piano, trombone bass toro bone. Almost became a music teacher. Was in college for it, but the college I was in was 100% classical music program. After reading, analyzing, writing and playing it 8 hours a day for 2 years, it sucked my live of music out of my soul. Kinda crazy! Lol
Hmmm. It's in your parent's home. That is my problem, storing stuff that is used when the kids come down from the northeast.
This is exactly what I was looking for months. Great video, great speaker.
I’m so glad you found value in it! Once you take apart the piano, I’d love to hear about your experiences.
I get it! Just bought a new grand and am preparing to take my old family grand piano (~100 years old) apart and upcycle. The last song thing has been HAUNTING me too. Really appreciating this video!
Good luck with the demo! 👍🏻
Don't want anyone to be discouraged from getting their own free piano: it's ok not to have your piano tuned consistently, especially if it's an old one. Personally, I like that kind of sound anyway!
Thank you so much for this great guide -- you are a gifted teacher! I used it to dissect a piano left by the people who sold my house to me (now I know why they left it behind). I hit a bunch of snags along the way so it took two months. I found that my drill wasn't strong enough to turn the string pegs, but I bought a cheap (manual) piano key which provided enough torque for me to loosen all the pegs. Then I bought a drum key drill bit (which fit the pegs perfectly) and went back through with the drill to take the pegs the rest of the way out. I put all the metal to the curb for scrappers, but am keeping all the wood for future projects which I'm sure your other videos will inspire!
I'm a piano technician, and when I used to restring pianos, I would use the special drill socket designed for tuning pins ($33 on Amazon) and a brace. Very fast and safe.
@@mstivers would you be able to help me with a link to the drill socket? This is the part of the disassembling that I'm terrified about :(
@@mstiversthanks for the tip!
Cats are expensive. Cats are everywhere. Watch as I turn a cat into a belt, some decorative pieces and make some food with it.
Saved a lot of time and frustration! Thank you!
Glad it helped!
I get it ?!?!?!?
I get it! It was the first thing my husband and I bought. It ended creating so many memories of my son composing and playing it. He competed in the World Championships of Performing Arts in Long Beach,CA before he died. Its not just an instrument anymore. Our damper bar fell onto the keys, making repair more expensive than the piano is worth so I want to repurpose it into a shelve for my son’s talent show trophies.
Love the idea!!!!
Y'all need some sleep (also how are the pianos at school?)
Katrina Pedri lol! Sleep is over-rated. And I still have 2 pianos in my classroom that I’m not allowed to dispose of. Wish I could. One is in decent shape and the other barely works.
I get it! Thank you for sharing your heart!! You are so right. It makes me feel less weird to be so attached to this thing that is way more than a thing!
My pleasure
This hurts, I teared up a bit
I TOTALLY GET IT! I have an old upright mahogany piano that is over 100 years old and beyond being repaired musically. It is a beautiful piece that my uncle and I are going to work on making it a prohibition bar:
Ran across your video because I'm in the middle of taking apart at a Bush and Lane piano from late 1800s. I really honestly thought that there was a lot of good wood in this piano but in truth, there's a lot of good veneer work that has been done to make things look very good. I was looking for some mahogany. Found a little but not nearly enough to make this difficult project worthwhile.
LOVE this video! I have an 1800 piano I am repurposing and you have helped. I would love to see what you made from your piano components.
Walking to the mailbox yesterday, I saw a piece of wood at the edge of the neighbor’s driveway. It had a notch in it and a ball headed screw. I thought, “That looks vaguely familiar.”. Sure enough, it was a piano key. As I remember, the previous neighbor had said he had an old piano in the basement that would probably stay there forever. My guess is that the new owners decided to tear it apart and haul it away. I’ll have to check. But, I now have a unique remembrance. Wish I would have known what they were doing, but kind of glad I didn’t. At 79, I don’t need to create any more unnecessary work for myself, even if would have been interesting.
Had just subscribed to your channel, was looking through your past postings when I saw this piano being re-purposed.
Thanks!
My pleasure, sir!
I did a video on what would happen if a piano wire would break. Now it might had just been that the piano was over 70 years old but I didn't get the crazy snap-back of the wire when I used wire cutters to cut the strings, I cut small ones and the larger copper wrapped ones and although they broke it wasn't a dangerous break. Ot saying it won't or couldn't happen it just didn't on this piano. I do appreciate the fact you show that you do definitely have to remove a the tuning keys WOW
Thank you! I will have this video ready to assist me this week when I take on the task
Then I’m very glad you found it! Once it’s done, tell me how it went.
We are in the middle of this project, and this video is super helpful- Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Demoing the same exact piano, in little worse shape.
Thanks so much for this. Very much appreciated
I’m glad to be a help!
Thanks for this video. I found this video (and your channel) by searching for a video on how to dismantle a piano... cos I'll need to do just that soon.
Have an old, needed to go to the graveyard piano that no one wanted and I was wondering how hard it would be to dismantle it. This video is great. Looks like I’ve found my summer project to tackle!
Outstanding! Keep us posted!
We are living in Italy and about to return to the states, we appreciate the video because we are about to dismantle our piano. Thank you for the heads up! We plan on salvaging what we can as well!
Glad it was helpful!
I totally get it. We have a family heirloom. Piano is about 120 years old. We have had this Piano professionally moved 3 times. We are downsizing and I felt terrible no one wanted this Piano. You have given me an awsome alternative.
This is amazing. I need to take an old piano in my basement apart and I will for sure follow this guide! Wish me luck on those strings.
I’m glad it helps! Overall really “fun” to do, but the metal was a lot of effort. I could have just cut the strings, but that’s seriously dangerous.
I get it and thanks for sharing. I taking one apart and wanted to see what others thougt.
Glad it helped
Thank you! I'm a music teacher and we are dissecting a donated piano in my classroom. Your video was my first bit of research before I meet with my carpenter. Very much appreciated!
Katy McNiff awesome! I’m a theater teacher in NYC and one of the first things I did 11 years ago when I started, was take apart one of the 3 pianos in my classroom! Great project! Any chance you could send me a pic or 2 of the process to throw up on my Instagram feed?
@@BurkeMakesStuff absolutley! I don't use Instagram but will see if I can get a class set of parents to allow me to upload a youtube video to my school channel.
4 year old video, so not sure if you’ll see this comment;
But at 4:15 you mentioned you’d be using that hammer assembly for an art piece. I’m about to disassemble a 1940s-era Story & Clark spinet that’s no longer tunable and would love to find a way to preserve and display elements of the piano. (It was my mom’s as a child, and the one I learned on between the ages of 6 and 18, so it has sentimental value. I just don’t want to move it anymore. )
Yup. I follow all the comments on my videos…. Mostly. lol. Yes. I have many ideas for the innards. Though I haven’t done it yet, my favorite is the idea of making/buying a clear acrylic coffee table that is large enough to fit all the hammer mechanisms and display it that way.
Thank you for your video. My grandparents passed away several years ago, and their upright piano was the only thing I wanted...I also didn't have to fight anyone for it! Problem was, it was in their basement and because of remodeling, there was no longer a way to get it out in one piece. I finally got to tackle it this weekend and it went pretty smoothly. It was a 1915 Kimball Co. Upright. I plan on refinishing it to make a sideboard/buffet of sorts. I will be using the keys to make a keepsake for every child and grandchild and I'll be using the pins and wires to create a wall clock. Very excited to have this piece in my home.
Love it! How are the projects going?
Thanks so much! For the sadness of dismantling a musical instrument, you made it easier. I’ll look for your videos to show your projects from the piano! 12:11
Thanks for the video much needed.. you can mute the stings with strips of felt or any piece of cloth in between the strings to reduce string noise...
Not weird at all! I get it. Our energies (& sometimes literal sweat, tears, etc) go in to objects and a “last song” that connects us to something like a piano holds sentimental value. At least you’ll have some of those parts to cherish!
Thank you so much for this. I have seen other videos and have gotten as far as removing panels, keyboard, and pedals but was always too afraid to attempt the removal of those strings (I have kept the giant empty shell as an entertainment center until I could move forward. I feel very confident about completing the task now after watching your video. I have that bit in my tool bag. Yay!
I’m extremely glad I could help!!
Did removing the strings work out ok with you following these steps? I'm super afraid of this too :(
Hey did you make a video of that sculpture you were talking about?
It’s been filmed and is being edited… that being said, I have a few videos that need to be posted before, after they are edited.
You helped and inspired me to get started dismantling my old 1890 piano. I will be putting as many parts to use as I can!! Thank you!!
You’re very welcome!
Thank you so much for the video! I used your video the past two days for my piano disassembly and the hardest part was made faster using your trick with the backwards socket. I used a ratchet concoction to turn it about seven revolutions then I used heavy duty pliers to grip, twist and pull them out.
I glad it could help!
I get it!! It makes me sad to think about the last song I would play on the piano! I've taught piano lessons for 25 years
Thank you so much. Disassembling my piano today. Your Step by step instructions were awesome.
I so get it. Am just taking apart my family piano which has so much story attached to it. Replacing it with a new one which will be lovely, but seriously hard to do!!!!
You can do it!
Finally took the plunge to dismantle our piano. Sad , but I totally agree, no one wants a second hand average piano. The family enjoyed it for a good spell, with kids at school but it was now out of tune and monstrously heavy to move. A great tip about removing the tuning pegs with that reversed socket.No string cutting required, just loosening and unhooking. Managed to dismantle our piano in 2 1/2 hours using one spare re-chargeable battery for my drill . Most of the wood is veneered MDF, so heading for the dump. Hoping for interest from a local scrap metal collector for the frame, otherwise some heavy lifting and taking to the recycling centre. I think my joints will react a bit tomorrow morning, but a great feeling having done the deed.
Thank you Thank you Thank You. I inherited my grandfathers piano years ago. We are downsizing and I've been struggling to find a way to get rid of the piano. You are correct, no one wants them even when you attempt to give them away for free. But I have been wanting to make some craft projects with some of the components. Your video is EXACTLY what I was looking for since there is no possible way I'm going to carry this piano out of my basement.
I’m so glad!
Great Step by Step how to. Had it completely taken apart in a few hours. Only the large metal piece was hard to remove from house but; managed. Thank you for sharring.
I’m glad it helped
Anyone know what kind of electric drill do I need to get for this job? The one I have at home isn't powerful enough., thanks
Enjoyed watching this and the finale of "music by the fire". Prepping to take down a piano myself😁
Hope you find it valuable!