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The fact that he added the California, AND USA means he believes there is a non-zero chance that either San Francisco or California may not be around, and not recognized, either, the next time someone opens that piano up. XD
I used to do insulation in homes and whenever I would forever enclose a dead space(an empty unused space between walls or roof or a whatever), I would always throw the change I had in my pocket in there. And write a note with my name and date saying something along the lines of "if you find this money and it is valuable in your future, look me up and give me a cut". It was a joke really. I mainly just think back on that and hope someone doing a remodel in the distant future finds it and makes them smile. And that makes me smile.
I worked with a guy who in a previous career was a watch maker and repair man. He once worked on a clock over 150 years old with each guy noting the date and repair performed inside the case...I can’t imagine anything I fix lasting that long...
The metal rods that Adam cleans are known as the "tines" of the piano! This is a really nice build, as a classical musician with several of these pianos in the house it’s lovely to see some upgrades from someone with the tools! It’s worth checking out the videos from Hainbach if people are interested in more toy piano history!
@@BabyMakR For these I wouldn't say it mattered that much. In actual piano strings people will use steel wool which over time will matter in the life of your piano strings. The proper cleaning procedure I think some people use a sort of block to clean them or scotchbrite pads.
@@BabyMakR I doubt the steel wool would do much, the best way to tune them would be to file a little off the end if you wanted a higher pitch, and maybe add some solder to lower the pitch a little?
Back when i worked in restoring churches and old buildings in general, i came across signatures of former craftsmen all the time some literally 100s years old.
What I especially love about these videos is that most other youtube videos are about the item and the process that accompanies that item but with anything that Adam does its mainly about the process and you get taken along on a journey that just draws you in . My favourite channel.
Ha! Thanks Adam. Won a bet with the wife on this one. Called the keys would have balance issue as soon as you grabbed the wood. She thought "oh he'd know that more than you!"... Got me a guilt free hobby purchase! Lol. Good build
As Grandpa always used to say, “ A little lubrication goes a long way”... Then Grandma would slap him on the back of his head as she walked by. I didn’t understand this till I was much older.😉
I did piano building, maintenance, repair and tuning at college in 1985. This was a fantastic trip down memory lane and I had instructions! As you so fantastically worked out, the whole design is simple yet everything is measured precisely to create the pivotal momentum and strike points and with the correct pressure through weights. Then the point of strike on the string/tine is specific for sound. You are a genius sir!!
My grandfather made, tuned, and repaired pianos all his life. Adam's shop reminds me of his workshop that was at the end of his garden. It was an Aladdin's cave of tools, wood oils, and strange bits of intricately carved pieces. I loved that place. Thank you for taking me back there.
You know what is so special about why you record yourself and deal with the stress of filming and editing? Im in my happy space watching you in your's. It doesnt matter the project but what does is you teaching to other's to find your happy space, be free of everything and listen to your own spirit. Thats true freedom. I love your process of connecting to your spirit and then it just spills out your mouth and you start working. Love the show
I think you need to add to the T-Shirt list: We don't have the budget for that. It made me laugh right out loud. Thanks for the build, Adam. This was a fun one. Once again, Gunther, your editing is awesome and spot on.
What a heart felt moment when Adam remembers the story with his father and his friend. It sounds like they were supportive of Adams passion. Could binge his videos for days.
Yay for mentioning Twoodfrd! For anyone who doesn't know him: he's a great luthier with weekly videos. If you want to learn how to do repairs, he's your guy.
I like the fan shirts that work best without context of the source. One of my favorites being "I was born to take it easy" for the gym and I'd definitely wear "We don't have the budget for that" to work, lol.
Wow you visited the London College of Furniture... I studied there when I left school. Probably around the time you visited. I made a friend there who was learning to tune pianos. He ran a business using a morris minor travellor years later when I met up with him. The key snapped off in the ignition and he called the breakdown recovery to try and get it started. They were fiddling for an hour to no avail to get the key out. So I had a quick look, stuck what was left of the key in the hole, turned it and released the mechanism. He just needed a new lock barrel after that. The college was so much fun. We did mythbuster things like design ways of holding an egg in a paper cage which would survive a drop from the top of the building.
The mixup with 1 and 3 type keys comes from the differences in keys next to groups of 2 black keys or groups of 3 black keys. The ones on the outside of the groups of 3 have a slightly deeper cut, but in both cases are symmetric between left/right!
Do you know one thing with listening to Adam I find it’s made me a better listener in the real world. I guess I must’ve learned people have interesting things to say sometimes. Anybody else find that?
I am living for the subtle chaotic energy in this video. I had no idea how deprived I was for Adam Savage content until I started watching this XD Mythbusters was probably my favorite show when I was younger - it was what sparked my interest in MacGyver (the theme song is still my alarm) and it made education fun instead of miserable. It r-gifted me with curiosity for how things work and why. I'm glad to see you're still thriving, my guy.
I just took apart an old upright left behind by the previous owners of my house and found pieces on the inside that were signed by the maker from 1950. Awesome.
I love the fact that you appreciated the one key that was replaced, instead of what a lot of other "craftsman" (from personal experience) would have said it was a bad job and that they should've replaced them all. I love the wholesomeness!
Love the idea of signing your work. I sign everything I do, painted rooms, fence builds and normal maker things. I couldn't make out the type of Sharpie you were using, but Sharpies fade and pencil will last for fifty plus years.
Exactly what I was thinking. That sharpie ink will diffuse and even in a few years will be unintelligible. Pencil won't change at all in 50 years, and being graphite and clay, probably be readable for a million years or until the wood has oxidized to a black patina.
Gerday mate, before retirement, my Brother was, is, a professional pianist and I showed him this rebuild. Other than knowing the names of parts and those that weren't there he was quite enthralled and shocked that, even though a toy, was a bit shocked that you would attempt such a thing. In the end he was well inpressed. He said that you had been taught about pianos, but had to agree that a proper trades person could do it. You got a big thumbs up from both of us. Well done mate. Keep on keeping on, peace put. Wayne
End result is really exquisite , a totally obvious, loving restoration without going over the top by trying to make it brand new,or detract from the fact that it IS a play worn childs toy that has been repaired to working order and no more, by someone whom I would class as a master craftsman . ps I am a very,very old former Royal Navy (ERA) artificer/shipwright.
Hi Adam, organ builder here ! If you do want to tune the tines in this piano, I imagine they would behave the same way as reed organ reeds, in that to sharpen them you reduce the length, the usual way to flatten a reed organ reed is to take material off at the end that is attached to the matrix, however as in this case they're already filed to a point, the other way to flatten the pitch would be to affix a weighted load to the end, usually in reeds this is a large blob of solder, or brass attached with a small grub screw.
Used to be in the construction industry refurbishing old houses. Just loved to find messages of old craftsmen who had signed their work in the properties. So then I also signed and dated the walls behind the wallpaper that I hung. Thrilling to think a little piece of me was left behind for people to find in years to come.
So Adam just let us in on a little maker's secret. If you are gonna make something for your fellow maker friend, then keep your scrap material and include it in the gift. That is how you really show how much your friend means to you. That way it is a gift that keeps on giving.
I think this sort of stuff is really awesome! I have my own idea for a build and I hope to make it come true some day. What excites me the most is how much there is to learn with some builds. One day you're fixing a shelf and the other you're fixing a piano, learning to understand how it all works!
My grandfather made us wooden swords and other things all the time. It's a great way to get kids until building. There's something about crafting than when shared between generations builds a bond.
@@keetrandling4530 It hits me even harder and I have to share with my friend because he calls his two teenage daughters "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" so if/when they have kids, he would have precedent to call them his Grandthings
I can’t help but see the ODB on the clapper at the beginning of these and think of Ol Dirty every time. Man I miss that dude. What a talent and a shame we lost him.
I love how Adams brain works. You can see the thoughts almost as if they are Burst of information just floating in the air and Adam grabbing the ones he likes. I operate much the same as he does.
I've been making my own mini piano, but after seeing you doing it, I think I'mma start it over. You sparked a new curiosity in me to fix certain problems I've been bumping into.
When Worlds Collide! Big fan of Adam and Ted Woodford, was watching a twoodfrd video today and someone commented that Adam had namechecked him, too cool!
"One of us"........? I am one of you. That's something that I've always appreciated about your channel is that you've gone out of your way to make people feel like we are all in the same club of makers. This "One of US" slogan hits me as inherently exclusionary and counter to your entire ethos and angst against gate keeping. I get what it means but it could be worded better. Everyone understands paid membership gets perks. No one needs it rubbed in there nose. That said, I love you dearly Adam and appreciate your years of love and dedication. Thank you for sharing your journey. Hope to see you in Portland :-)
Me, takes something apart: Well, that's a lot of interesting pieces, wonder how they fit together? Adam, takes something apart: So that's how that works! Let's improve it!
Ended up finally donating an old China hutch last weekend that my parents had given to me 14 years ago. It had the builders' names and "10-1-85" written on the back. It was really neat to see.
Watching this reminded me of when I helped (mostly just watched) my father restore an antique player piano when I was a kid. Anything he did once he did 88 times.
That piano was a literal basket case. When my dad brought it home, many of the parts were in baskets. But once it was done we had years of fun pumping along while it played 'Yes We Have No Bananas' and 'Volare' among other things.
I wasn’t sure the bare wood keys would be the proper esthetic but I like them way better than the original white ones. It gives it a more weathered and aged look than it already had before. Great work Adam!!
There's this childlike flutter of glee I got when Ted was mentioned. As someone who's aspired to be a luthier for years and adores watching these projects, I never expected those two would cross but I guess I was wrong! In the few months I've watched TWoodfrd, I've learned SOOO much, and the man really is the Bob Ross of guitar repair, and just... wow, it's so cool to see where the knowledge has come from and share in it.
I totally love when he was talking about how we should sign our work so we can talk to each other across the ages I never thought of it that way but I remember ripping apart a couch the first thing I ever reupholstered and I had bought it in a thrift store and had like $30 to go by material at Jo-Ann fabrics and I ripped off the upholstery and I will never forget the feeling of seeing for somebody had signed and dated this couch and it was like 1982 and I was born in 86 so it was just a cool feeling I totally agree we should do this and keep it going
OK Go was the first thing I thought of as the video started . . . was thinking of commenting on it and then within 5 minutes Adam brought it up himself. That song was my JAM last year when it came out. Listening to it now and re-experiencing that early pandemic headspace is a bit intense.
I've seen the the metal rods referred to as tines and the full assembly referred to as a tine bar, but I also found a an article about these types of pianos that called them tone rods and a page from a Sears catalogue from 1956 featuring Schoenhut toy pianos that called the rods tone rods and the bar that holds them was called the tone bar (I wasn't able to figure out the name of the assembly though).
If this is your jazz, I'd highly recommend finding a way to watch "The Repair Shop" from the BBC - skilled craftspeople repairing beloved items for the public. Some of the best comfort-watching out there!
2:12 Starts playing the start of the Thomas the tank engine theme. LOL. Actually I'm quite fascinated by these kinds of miniature pieces. The craft and skill that goes into making these is just something incredible to behold. Loved the finished item BTW. Superb work as always.
Oooh awesome! I did some work on a toy piano once and did a terrible video about it, maybe I'll revisit it now that years later its taken a beating and ready for more upkeep. Mine is in the form of a grand piano. The mod I am most proud of on it was getting some jewelry box hinges and installing then so that the top would hinge open much like a real piano does and had a sort of arm made of chopstick that swings up to hold it open. The plastic keys made terrible clacky noise so I filled them with some modeling foam and also in areas to soften impacts not meant to be audible. Never got it to sound what I would call good but certainly improved. I added a piezo pick up and played it through some guitar pedals. Mostly though its a nice coffee table that with its hinges has a good bit of storage inside to use.
All I can think is, I would love to have the left over keys, cut them into 1" sections, drill holes through them side to side, then string them on elastic to make black and white bracelets. And how Adam just tackles everything without hesitation, even stuff he's never done. I wish I was so brave.
A lot of bravery comes from knowing that the consequences of failure don't really matter. What's the worst that can happen here? He totally wrecks two toy pianos that didn't work anyway, and that nobody needs. Which is true for a lot of craft projects for hobbyists. We worry about failing without realizing that there's no real consequences for failure. You're not getting a grade. Your job doesn't depend on it. The worst that will happen is you'll spend a few hours in your shop goofing around and not have a finished thing at the end. (The fact Adam is somewhat wealthy probably helps, though. Besides being able to buy the best tools, he can afford to buy replacement materials for anything he wrecks.)
Oh man, all the feels on this one. Communicating with fellow makers through the millennia that one of my objects may survive? ... Hell yeah I'm there. Thanks Adam
I can almost hear Mr. Woodford cringe at the idea of plywood as a soundboard, I can also now see Mattias Krantz coming up with a new idea to torture his piano tuner lol
@@microbuilder on the contrary, you will find many high quality instruments built with high-grade plywood because it is a reliable and repeatable material with good properties for the application. You are confusing high quality with high cost...
@@ConorNoakes I'm not saying plywood cant work, but I've been playing guitar for about 25 years, and a plywood top is not generally considered high quality. Its not a matter of confusion, a solid top usually just costs more because plywood is usually cheaper, and goes into cheaper guitars.
I've been using the phrase "furniture grade" for years to describe mass produced dubious instruments of all sorts. I never knew there was an actual furniture making school cranking out these makers. Plywood has its place on making durable working instruments, but it's rare for it to be used in fine instruments, frames and cabinets aside.
I have a Schoenhut toy piano myself (mine's like a baby grand, not an upright), and it's in rough shape. I don't have anywhere near all the fantastic toys that Adam has, but maybe there is hope yet for some of the ideas in this video helping me and my piano someday!
Finding signed work, especially if its old and dated is super interesting. I have a horse drawn omnibus from 1898 that i am restoring. When I acquired it the very first panel I removed from it revealed 2 signatures, presumably, of the lads that built it and dated May 1898. in my effort to research the vehicle, I tracked the family of one of them, hoping someone in the family might have pictures of the guy or of his work. It turned out they didn't know anything about him or his work but I, and they, found it all very interesting. And all in, it adds a little bit more to the history
PLEASE bring in a piano tuner! I've never met one who isn't open to a challenge, how they do what they do is interesting, and it would be fun to see how you two collaborate in bringing it towards proper tune as far as you reasonably can!
Adam. You talked about signing your work and that sparked a memory: I was working as a cobbler (district trainer) in Indianapolis and a very Irate gentleman came in with a young lady and they presented me with a very old pair of shoes that were very worn in. If you know anything about shoe repair it's becoming a lost skill but you can tell a lot about a person by their walking pattern. I examined the old man's shoe and quoted him a rather low price for a standard repair and asked him if he'd like me to address the issues I see. Fearing her grandfather was going to get fleeced out of some cash the young lady asked for clarification. I pointed out the wear pattern and some inexpensive ways I can protect these shoes he must love and we bargained a bit and I told it'd be about 90 minutes. Usually it's an hour, but he wanted some additions that take some time. I got into the shoes and tore the soles out and was presented with a note left in between the leather sole and the lining. I unfolded the yellowed, dry paper carefully and it said, "This man is an Asshole, don't give him a decent price. Barry Kempf 5/11/73" Oh lord how I laughed! The shop was in a mall and they must have heard me down in the food court. Thinking of how the old man haggled and the young lady asked questions I put the little note and the hastily scrolled note I wrote on another piece of paper in a little plastic baggy and left it for historians to find after I made the repair. My note? Not to take anything away from the original cobbler I simply wrote, "Can confirm. My name, and the date, sometime probably in 1997". I hope that old guy is still out there somewhere. Yours in hands-on work, BWJ :-)
I have always wanted to do this with one of these toy pianos. I just might have to find one now seeing you do it. It'll be a different project from my string instruments for sure, but you've convinced me.
“I don’t know if correlation equals causation but it’s certainly the first place TO START LOOKING” I laughed at this more than I should have, but it just reminded me of something that would be in a Mythbuster montage. “Am I missing an eyebrow??”
now it needs a "day 2" of this one... where you rip your clear-coat back off to give them proper white keys and then re-finish the outer case in piano black with loads of clear coats
Yeah - wondered about that. With all the delrin in the racks behind the table saw and mill, no shortage of potential key covers, or entire key assemblies, for that matter. As a teenager, I worked on (and relatively quickly gave up on) reconditioning a behemoth of a player piano with ivory key covers (sorry, elephants!). Aircraft plywood makes a great sounding board. If you were "My Mechanics", you'd find an Alpine stream somewhere with 250-year old submerged spruce and white pine logs, and laminate your own :-)
@@stevejohnson1685 delrin even a bit overkill... not that that wouldn't be great... but I know this "theater"-style workmanship that Adam is so used to... as such, even just a quick top coat of white spray paint would have done the trick...
@@theorganguy Exactly as something that has gone through this much use should be. Adam works hard to MAKE the stuff he MAKES look this worn and well loved.
Yep! It’s a harp and the lil metal rods are tines! Rhodes pianos also use tines, as well as tone bars which are more or less tuning forks, if you can believe it since they sound so different
Fantastic job restoring it - I wouldn't do anything to the finish, but a touchup crayon on the corners might improve the appearance. Also, a light surface cleaning and applying some Johnson Paste Wax would preserve the finish. Workshop tip: I've been using Johnson Paste Wax on my steel tools and rulers to prevent surface rust.
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Hi Adam, I kind of want a piano but no room that one would fit, lol
You should hook up with Wintergarten and make it a player toy piano.
@@Lethgar_Smith does wintergarten have a website if so are they some good pianos?
I *NEED* one of those *bandsaw noises* shirts :)
(Oh look, a link!)
@@VAXHeadroom oh yeah that shirt is cool, he always has on a cool shirt
"Sign your work. Talk to each other across the ages" I love this sentiment.
"I don't know that correlation equals causality, but it's certainly the first place to start looking!" another pearl of wisdom.
The fact that he added the California, AND USA means he believes there is a non-zero chance that either San Francisco or California may not be around, and not recognized, either, the next time someone opens that piano up. XD
I used to do insulation in homes and whenever I would forever enclose a dead space(an empty unused space between walls or roof or a whatever), I would always throw the change I had in my pocket in there. And write a note with my name and date saying something along the lines of "if you find this money and it is valuable in your future, look me up and give me a cut". It was a joke really. I mainly just think back on that and hope someone doing a remodel in the distant future finds it and makes them smile. And that makes me smile.
I worked with a guy who in a previous career was a watch maker and repair man. He once worked on a clock over 150 years old with each guy noting the date and repair performed inside the case...I can’t imagine anything I fix lasting that long...
@@darksunrise957 Yeah true - but "5/21" is enough of a date to be unique in the future?? This is the thinking that bought us the y2k problem.
"Bandsaw noises" was a fabulous idea for a shirt.
Agreed
Sounds like a fun music combo already...
Missed opportunity for the name of a 90s grunge rock band.
I like the fact that a man is wearing a spoiler for the 17:05 section of his own video. Nolan didn't saw that coming.
The metal rods that Adam cleans are known as the "tines" of the piano! This is a really nice build, as a classical musician with several of these pianos in the house it’s lovely to see some upgrades from someone with the tools! It’s worth checking out the videos from Hainbach if people are interested in more toy piano history!
We will pass your comment on to Adam! Thank you!
Out of curiosity, if you know, would Adam's rubbing the tines with the steel wool change their note much? Also are these tuneable like actual pianos?
@@BabyMakR For these I wouldn't say it mattered that much. In actual piano strings people will use steel wool which over time will matter in the life of your piano strings. The proper cleaning procedure I think some people use a sort of block to clean them or scotchbrite pads.
i would try and replace them with actual piano strings, but that would need a heavy string frame for tensioning...
@@BabyMakR I doubt the steel wool would do much, the best way to tune them would be to file a little off the end if you wanted a higher pitch, and maybe add some solder to lower the pitch a little?
I just realized that we are all just watching this from the perspective of Adam's imaginary friend.
That's almost true; I think we are his imaginary friends. For real!😁 I wouldn't change a thing😉
This might be the most insightful thing I've read on the internet in a WHILE - and that's meant to be an actual compliment. 🤔🙃
I am loopy from sleep deprivation and you just made my next 2 hours
We’re the victorian ghost child whose piano this was, waiting for someone to fix it so we can be at peace
plot twist, someone checks the security camera and sees there is never been a camera he has been slowly going crazy this whole time
Back when i worked in restoring churches and old buildings in general, i came across signatures of former craftsmen all the time some literally 100s years old.
I've never wanted to be friends with someone more in my entire life. The joy! The whimsy! A GD delight, every time.
I know, right? I feel like I’m cheating on my boyfriend I love him so much… and I don’t even HAVE a boyfriend!
As antique enthusiast, an uncle and an amateur carpenter, I super love this whole project. Well done, sir.
I particularly love that he didn't sand down and repaint the whole thing. I hate when people "restore" like that.
@@machinate I agree Andrew. The original finish is so classic, I get real bummed when people sand it away.
What I especially love about these videos is that most other youtube videos are about the item and the process that accompanies that item but with anything that Adam does its mainly about the process and you get taken along on a journey that just draws you in . My favourite channel.
Ha! Thanks Adam. Won a bet with the wife on this one. Called the keys would have balance issue as soon as you grabbed the wood. She thought "oh he'd know that more than you!"... Got me a guilt free hobby purchase! Lol. Good build
Haha nice 👍🏾 what did you get
@@DJZander303 An upgraded compressor for my Airbrush :)
"Schoenhut" means "fancy hat" in german. :D
Thank you for the videos over the last years, always enjoyable to watch!
In Dutch it means "Shoe Cabin", whatever that is...
@@jorenheit I kind of want to build a shoe rack that looks like a cabin now, thanks.
You're both right, but Albert Schoenhut was of German descent. So it's Albert Nicehat, not Albert Schoecabbin 😁
As Grandpa always used to say, “ A little lubrication goes a long way”... Then Grandma would slap him on the back of his head as she walked by. I didn’t understand this till I was much older.😉
I did piano building, maintenance, repair and tuning at college in 1985. This was a fantastic trip down memory lane and I had instructions! As you so fantastically worked out, the whole design is simple yet everything is measured precisely to create the pivotal momentum and strike points and with the correct pressure through weights. Then the point of strike on the string/tine is specific for sound. You are a genius sir!!
My grandfather made, tuned, and repaired pianos all his life. Adam's shop reminds me of his workshop that was at the end of his garden. It was an Aladdin's cave of tools, wood oils, and strange bits of intricately carved pieces. I loved that place. Thank you for taking me back there.
You know what is so special about why you record yourself and deal with the stress of filming and editing? Im in my happy space watching you in your's. It doesnt matter the project but what does is you teaching to other's to find your happy space, be free of everything and listen to your own spirit. Thats true freedom. I love your process of connecting to your spirit and then it just spills out your mouth and you start working. Love the show
I think you need to add to the T-Shirt list: We don't have the budget for that. It made me laugh right out loud. Thanks for the build, Adam. This was a fun one. Once again, Gunther, your editing is awesome and spot on.
What a heart felt moment when Adam remembers the story with his father and his friend. It sounds like they were supportive of Adams passion. Could binge his videos for days.
Ted Woodford is a delight to watch, so nice to know you watch his work too.
Yay for mentioning Twoodfrd!
For anyone who doesn't know him: he's a great luthier with weekly videos. If you want to learn how to do repairs, he's your guy.
Heartily agree. Twoodfrd is a true craftsman. His channel is amazing.
6:24 that was almost the Dance of the Sugar Plumb Fairy from the Nutcracker Suite!
"we don't have budget for that" tees coming this fall (no doubt)
Actually ... 🤔
I'd wear that.
@@tested did you ask them?
I’ll bed OKGO would *probably* let you use the song but YT would probably demonetize for copyright 😢
I like the fan shirts that work best without context of the source. One of my favorites being "I was born to take it easy" for the gym and I'd definitely wear "We don't have the budget for that" to work, lol.
Wow you visited the London College of Furniture... I studied there when I left school. Probably around the time you visited. I made a friend there who was learning to tune pianos. He ran a business using a morris minor travellor years later when I met up with him. The key snapped off in the ignition and he called the breakdown recovery to try and get it started. They were fiddling for an hour to no avail to get the key out. So I had a quick look, stuck what was left of the key in the hole, turned it and released the mechanism. He just needed a new lock barrel after that. The college was so much fun. We did mythbuster things like design ways of holding an egg in a paper cage which would survive a drop from the top of the building.
"I got a parts cleaner, you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna clean some parts." Is my new favorite quote.
The mixup with 1 and 3 type keys comes from the differences in keys next to groups of 2 black keys or groups of 3 black keys. The ones on the outside of the groups of 3 have a slightly deeper cut, but in both cases are symmetric between left/right!
"A million years ago I visited London..."
"A million years ago I was driving through New York..."
Must have been a busy year, huh?
Do you know one thing with listening to Adam I find it’s made me a better listener in the real world. I guess I must’ve learned people have interesting things to say sometimes. Anybody else find that?
I am living for the subtle chaotic energy in this video. I had no idea how deprived I was for Adam Savage content until I started watching this XD Mythbusters was probably my favorite show when I was younger - it was what sparked my interest in MacGyver (the theme song is still my alarm) and it made education fun instead of miserable. It r-gifted me with curiosity for how things work and why. I'm glad to see you're still thriving, my guy.
Adam: A million years ago...I'm stopping to tell you a story....
me: oh goodie storytime
I love watching you work through problems you are great at explaining stuff and make your builds interesting - thank you for all that you do
I just took apart an old upright left behind by the previous owners of my house and found pieces on the inside that were signed by the maker from 1950. Awesome.
This may be my favorite channel. Thanks Adam, I admire the passion and attention to detail that goes into your work.
I love the fact that you appreciated the one key that was replaced, instead of what a lot of other "craftsman" (from personal experience) would have said it was a bad job and that they should've replaced them all. I love the wholesomeness!
Watching Adam always makes me smile. He shares his experience and experiences with all of us and I thank him for the gift.
Love the idea of signing your work. I sign everything I do, painted rooms, fence builds and normal maker things. I couldn't make out the type of Sharpie you were using, but Sharpies fade and pencil will last for fifty plus years.
Exactly what I was thinking. That sharpie ink will diffuse and even in a few years will be unintelligible. Pencil won't change at all in 50 years, and being graphite and clay, probably be readable for a million years or until the wood has oxidized to a black patina.
As somebody who has wanted to create my own toy piano but lacks the skills to do so, I really enjoyed watching this one-day build.
Thanks!
Thank you (belatedly) for your super thanks! We appreciate your support!
06:32 its actually closer to "dance of the sugar plum fairy", followed by "London bridge"
Trans-siberian Orchestra was my favorite part of The Nutcracker
I came to the comments just to make sure someone said this.
Adjusting the blade angle at 14min was definitely playing sugar plum fairy
Time stamp should have been 6:25
Gerday mate, before retirement, my Brother was, is, a professional pianist and I showed him this rebuild. Other than knowing the names of parts and those that weren't there he was quite enthralled and shocked that, even though a toy, was a bit shocked that you would attempt such a thing. In the end he was well inpressed. He said that you had been taught about pianos, but had to agree that a proper trades person could do it. You got a big thumbs up from both of us. Well done mate. Keep on keeping on, peace put. Wayne
End result is really exquisite , a totally obvious, loving restoration without going over the top by trying to make it brand new,or detract from the fact that it IS a play worn childs toy that has been repaired to working order and no more, by someone whom I would class as a master craftsman . ps I am a very,very old former Royal Navy (ERA) artificer/shipwright.
Hi Adam, organ builder here ! If you do want to tune the tines in this piano, I imagine they would behave the same way as reed organ reeds, in that to sharpen them you reduce the length, the usual way to flatten a reed organ reed is to take material off at the end that is attached to the matrix, however as in this case they're already filed to a point, the other way to flatten the pitch would be to affix a weighted load to the end, usually in reeds this is a large blob of solder, or brass attached with a small grub screw.
He’s the kind of guy you want to buy used stuff from.
Adam Savage yard sale!
I’d say no. He’s the type to use things until he’s gotten every plug nickel out of them.
I like how Adam always uses music that works at 1x and 2x speed. It’s really helpful for us less than patient viewers!
As someone who repaired, rebuilt, and restrung pianos for a living, I found this mesmerizing. -But sure wish I’d had a mill back then!
Used to be in the construction industry refurbishing old houses. Just loved to find messages of old craftsmen who had signed their work in the properties. So then I also signed and dated the walls behind the wallpaper that I hung. Thrilling to think a little piece of me was left behind for people to find in years to come.
So Adam just let us in on a little maker's secret. If you are gonna make something for your fellow maker friend, then keep your scrap material and include it in the gift. That is how you really show how much your friend means to you. That way it is a gift that keeps on giving.
I think this sort of stuff is really awesome! I have my own idea for a build and I hope to make it come true some day. What excites me the most is how much there is to learn with some builds. One day you're fixing a shelf and the other you're fixing a piano, learning to understand how it all works!
Imma say it:
*Adam Savage* is, by far, one of my favourite people on the entire planet! 🤟🏻🥰❤️
Can't wait for Part 2! 😃
Adam is giving off total grandpa vibes here. He's totally going to be that guy who makes wooden toys for his grandthings.
Grandthings. Of course.
My grandfather made us wooden swords and other things all the time. It's a great way to get kids until building. There's something about crafting than when shared between generations builds a bond.
As they are getting older, Adam and my dad start looking more and more similar.
"Grandthings"
Perfect coinage of a term whose usage is long overdue.
@@keetrandling4530 It hits me even harder and I have to share with my friend because he calls his two teenage daughters "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" so if/when they have kids, he would have precedent to call them his Grandthings
I can’t help but see the ODB on the clapper at the beginning of these and think of Ol Dirty every time. Man I miss that dude. What a talent and a shame we lost him.
The collaboration we all need, Ok Go playing All Together Now in Adam's shop on his piano!!!!
I love how Adams brain works. You can see the thoughts almost as if they are Burst of information just floating in the air and Adam grabbing the ones he likes. I operate much the same as he does.
Who else noticed the last key lying there not getting the clear coat lovin'?
Beautiful job Adam, as usual!
"I'll watch for five minutes I guess..."
(1 hour later)
"Oh dang!"
Hahahahahah!
Not again
40 minutes in before I even looked at the comments.
The BBC Repair Shop meets Adam Savage. A union made in a strange parallel reality heaven!!
I've been making my own mini piano, but after seeing you doing it, I think I'mma start it over. You sparked a new curiosity in me to fix certain problems I've been bumping into.
I appreciate him commending whoever made the first replacement key
How ambitious can you get! Adam is constantly pushing himself.
Goforit, Adam!
When Worlds Collide! Big fan of Adam and Ted Woodford, was watching a twoodfrd video today and someone commented that Adam had namechecked him, too cool!
Watching you repair that thing and hearing how it turned out sounding like, makes me wish I was a builder and so happy I'm not a parent. :)
"One of us"........? I am one of you. That's something that I've always appreciated about your channel is that you've gone out of your way to make people feel like we are all in the same club of makers. This "One of US" slogan hits me as inherently exclusionary and counter to your entire ethos and angst against gate keeping. I get what it means but it could be worded better. Everyone understands paid membership gets perks. No one needs it rubbed in there nose. That said, I love you dearly Adam and appreciate your years of love and dedication. Thank you for sharing your journey. Hope to see you in Portland :-)
I wish I could be ad cool as the guy who fixed that one key. Adam saw and recognized his efforts. :)
Me, takes something apart: Well, that's a lot of interesting pieces, wonder how they fit together?
Adam, takes something apart: So that's how that works! Let's improve it!
Ted Woodford is one of my favorite TH-cam guitar techs and has taught me so much more than I thought possible.
Ended up finally donating an old China hutch last weekend that my parents had given to me 14 years ago. It had the builders' names and "10-1-85" written on the back. It was really neat to see.
Watching this reminded me of when I helped (mostly just watched) my father restore an antique player piano when I was a kid. Anything he did once he did 88 times.
That piano was a literal basket case. When my dad brought it home, many of the parts were in baskets. But once it was done we had years of fun pumping along while it played 'Yes We Have No Bananas' and 'Volare' among other things.
I wasn’t sure the bare wood keys would be the proper esthetic but I like them way better than the original white ones. It gives it a more weathered and aged look than it already had before. Great work Adam!!
There's this childlike flutter of glee I got when Ted was mentioned. As someone who's aspired to be a luthier for years and adores watching these projects, I never expected those two would cross but I guess I was wrong! In the few months I've watched TWoodfrd, I've learned SOOO much, and the man really is the Bob Ross of guitar repair, and just... wow, it's so cool to see where the knowledge has come from and share in it.
This intersection with music…let’s just say I’m freakin out.
Hurrah!
User name checks out! 😀
I was STUNNED when I heard you mention Ted Woodford at around 12:20! My two worlds have collided!
Adam is a real treasure! He is literally an inspiration for thousands of people. :)
I enjoy watching your workshop move around, underneath your milling table.
Another reason I enjoy your videos so much is I pick up little tricks of the trade here and there.
I totally love when he was talking about how we should sign our work so we can talk to each other across the ages I never thought of it that way but I remember ripping apart a couch the first thing I ever reupholstered and I had bought it in a thrift store and had like $30 to go by material at Jo-Ann fabrics and I ripped off the upholstery and I will never forget the feeling of seeing for somebody had signed and dated this couch and it was like 1982 and I was born in 86 so it was just a cool feeling I totally agree we should do this and keep it going
AWESOME REPAIR/MODIFICATION Adam !!!
OK Go was the first thing I thought of as the video started . . . was thinking of commenting on it and then within 5 minutes Adam brought it up himself. That song was my JAM last year when it came out. Listening to it now and re-experiencing that early pandemic headspace is a bit intense.
I've seen the the metal rods referred to as tines and the full assembly referred to as a tine bar, but I also found a an article about these types of pianos that called them tone rods and a page from a Sears catalogue from 1956 featuring Schoenhut toy pianos that called the rods tone rods and the bar that holds them was called the tone bar (I wasn't able to figure out the name of the assembly though).
If this is your jazz, I'd highly recommend finding a way to watch "The Repair Shop" from the BBC - skilled craftspeople repairing beloved items for the public. Some of the best comfort-watching out there!
Great build Adam, I love when you work with wood, we so need to preserve these beautiful pieces that some people see as trash great stuff
2:12 Starts playing the start of the Thomas the tank engine theme. LOL. Actually I'm quite fascinated by these kinds of miniature pieces. The craft and skill that goes into making these is just something incredible to behold. Loved the finished item BTW. Superb work as always.
Oooh awesome! I did some work on a toy piano once and did a terrible video about it, maybe I'll revisit it now that years later its taken a beating and ready for more upkeep. Mine is in the form of a grand piano. The mod I am most proud of on it was getting some jewelry box hinges and installing then so that the top would hinge open much like a real piano does and had a sort of arm made of chopstick that swings up to hold it open. The plastic keys made terrible clacky noise so I filled them with some modeling foam and also in areas to soften impacts not meant to be audible. Never got it to sound what I would call good but certainly improved. I added a piezo pick up and played it through some guitar pedals. Mostly though its a nice coffee table that with its hinges has a good bit of storage inside to use.
I love the music that came in at around 3:00! So enjoyable!
as someone wit a "broken" antique toy piano, i'm so excited to see how you fix the broken tongs/increase the resonance
All I can think is, I would love to have the left over keys, cut them into 1" sections, drill holes through them side to side, then string them on elastic to make black and white bracelets. And how Adam just tackles everything without hesitation, even stuff he's never done. I wish I was so brave.
A lot of bravery comes from knowing that the consequences of failure don't really matter. What's the worst that can happen here? He totally wrecks two toy pianos that didn't work anyway, and that nobody needs.
Which is true for a lot of craft projects for hobbyists. We worry about failing without realizing that there's no real consequences for failure. You're not getting a grade. Your job doesn't depend on it. The worst that will happen is you'll spend a few hours in your shop goofing around and not have a finished thing at the end.
(The fact Adam is somewhat wealthy probably helps, though. Besides being able to buy the best tools, he can afford to buy replacement materials for anything he wrecks.)
Oh man, all the feels on this one. Communicating with fellow makers through the millennia that one of my objects may survive? ... Hell yeah I'm there. Thanks Adam
I can't believe nobody has mentioned the "bandsaw noises" t-shirt yet. I love it. It reminds me of the "main presenter" t-shirt from Tech Ingredients.
I can almost hear Mr. Woodford cringe at the idea of plywood as a soundboard, I can also now see Mattias Krantz coming up with a new idea to torture his piano tuner lol
It depends for what. If the glue is good, plywood can be excellent, in particular at not cracking.
@@bacicinvatteneaca True, but you wont find many high quality instruments with plywood.
@@microbuilder on the contrary, you will find many high quality instruments built with high-grade plywood because it is a reliable and repeatable material with good properties for the application.
You are confusing high quality with high cost...
@@ConorNoakes I'm not saying plywood cant work, but I've been playing guitar for about 25 years, and a plywood top is not generally considered high quality. Its not a matter of confusion, a solid top usually just costs more because plywood is usually cheaper, and goes into cheaper guitars.
I've been using the phrase "furniture grade" for years to describe mass produced dubious instruments of all sorts. I never knew there was an actual furniture making school cranking out these makers. Plywood has its place on making durable working instruments, but it's rare for it to be used in fine instruments, frames and cabinets aside.
I have a Schoenhut toy piano myself (mine's like a baby grand, not an upright), and it's in rough shape. I don't have anywhere near all the fantastic toys that Adam has, but maybe there is hope yet for some of the ideas in this video helping me and my piano someday!
Finding signed work, especially if its old and dated is super interesting. I have a horse drawn omnibus from 1898 that i am restoring. When I acquired it the very first panel I removed from it revealed 2 signatures, presumably, of the lads that built it and dated May 1898. in my effort to research the vehicle, I tracked the family of one of them, hoping someone in the family might have pictures of the guy or of his work. It turned out they didn't know anything about him or his work but I, and they, found it all very interesting. And all in, it adds a little bit more to the history
I love watching every single second of this atom Beautiful video absolutely great work
PLEASE bring in a piano tuner! I've never met one who isn't open to a challenge, how they do what they do is interesting, and it would be fun to see how you two collaborate in bringing it towards proper tune as far as you reasonably can!
Adam. You talked about signing your work and that sparked a memory: I was working as a cobbler (district trainer) in Indianapolis and a very Irate gentleman came in with a young lady and they presented me with a very old pair of shoes that were very worn in. If you know anything about shoe repair it's becoming a lost skill but you can tell a lot about a person by their walking pattern. I examined the old man's shoe and quoted him a rather low price for a standard repair and asked him if he'd like me to address the issues I see. Fearing her grandfather was going to get fleeced out of some cash the young lady asked for clarification. I pointed out the wear pattern and some inexpensive ways I can protect these shoes he must love and we bargained a bit and I told it'd be about 90 minutes. Usually it's an hour, but he wanted some additions that take some time. I got into the shoes and tore the soles out and was presented with a note left in between the leather sole and the lining. I unfolded the yellowed, dry paper carefully and it said, "This man is an Asshole, don't give him a decent price. Barry Kempf 5/11/73" Oh lord how I laughed! The shop was in a mall and they must have heard me down in the food court. Thinking of how the old man haggled and the young lady asked questions I put the little note and the hastily scrolled note I wrote on another piece of paper in a little plastic baggy and left it for historians to find after I made the repair. My note? Not to take anything away from the original cobbler I simply wrote, "Can confirm. My name, and the date, sometime probably in 1997". I hope that old guy is still out there somewhere. Yours in hands-on work, BWJ :-)
I have always wanted to do this with one of these toy pianos. I just might have to find one now seeing you do it. It'll be a different project from my string instruments for sure, but you've convinced me.
Very nice Piano of Theseus Mr Adam! And I love the T-shirt!
“I don’t know if correlation equals causation but it’s certainly the first place TO START LOOKING” I laughed at this more than I should have, but it just reminded me of something that would be in a Mythbuster montage. “Am I missing an eyebrow??”
now it needs a "day 2" of this one... where you rip your clear-coat back off to give them proper white keys and then re-finish the outer case in piano black with loads of clear coats
Yeah - wondered about that. With all the delrin in the racks behind the table saw and mill, no shortage of potential key covers, or entire key assemblies, for that matter.
As a teenager, I worked on (and relatively quickly gave up on) reconditioning a behemoth of a player piano with ivory key covers (sorry, elephants!).
Aircraft plywood makes a great sounding board. If you were "My Mechanics", you'd find an Alpine stream somewhere with 250-year old submerged spruce and white pine logs, and laminate your own :-)
@@stevejohnson1685 delrin even a bit overkill... not that that wouldn't be great... but I know this "theater"-style workmanship that Adam is so used to... as such, even just a quick top coat of white spray paint would have done the trick...
Nah, it doesn't need the piano black! It's gorgeously worn and weathered as it is!
@@MadMorgie6318 weathered? ramshackled...
@@theorganguy Exactly as something that has gone through this much use should be. Adam works hard to MAKE the stuff he MAKES look this worn and well loved.
Oh wow! I had one of those as a child.
I was wondering what to look for if I wanted one.
Now I know.
Awesome!
I often find myself asking what would Adam or the tested crew do? I’ll have to look up that guitar channel!!
Yep! It’s a harp and the lil metal rods are tines! Rhodes pianos also use tines, as well as tone bars which are more or less tuning forks, if you can believe it since they sound so different
Hello from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada. Thanks for sharing your great video’s please keep them coming.
Fantastic job restoring it - I wouldn't do anything to the finish, but a touchup crayon on the corners might improve the appearance. Also, a light surface cleaning and applying some Johnson Paste Wax would preserve the finish. Workshop tip: I've been using Johnson Paste Wax on my steel tools and rulers to prevent surface rust.