Hammer veneering…
Slightly different start to the year in the workshop; using hot glue (also known as Scotch glue), a veneer hammer (which isn’t a hammer at …
Blüthner Style-VII completed…
I started work on this particular piano about five years ago, but life and other pianos kept pushing it down the queue! I’m pleased to …
Bechstein legs
I was sent a set of Bechstein legs that had been boxed (to convert the turned legs to square tapered). I am converting the legs …
Bechstein rebuild started…
A “new” piano arrived this week – a c.1898 Bechstein in Rosewood. Pictured here are the frame supporting posts, removed and numbered preceding removal of …
Final fitting of new legs…
Seen here, the Bass leg on the Blüthner Style-X – I had just started fine-tuning the new leg boss to mate properly with the new …
Lyre parts…
Lyre box for the Blüthner Style-X – mahogany to match the legs. I was able to salvage the centre section the holds the pedals, but …
New Blüthner legs…
A recently finished job – making new legs, all threaded wooden case fixtures, and lyre for a Style-X Blüthner. Beech cores, with Mahogany outers for …
New Bösendorfer rebuild…
Well, I say new rebuild – the piano actually started back in March with a flurry of activity to remove the frame, wrest plank, and …
Tuning my Bechstein “A”…
This particular model of Bechstein seems to confuse my electronic tuner – something to do with the scaling and bridge design in the second section. So …
Aliquot bridge…
Fitting the Aliquot studs in my current Style-VI rebuild. The piano has had a new soundboard, wrest plank, new turned legs and lyre, and black …
Key weighing…
After rebuilding the action for my Bechstein “A” Sheraton, and fitting new hammers, a few of the keys were too light touch wise. I removed …
Future projects…
Last week I made a (very rare..!) trip outside the workshop to my local timber merchant. I was buying Maple stock to make new legs …
Wrest plank…
Polishing the new wrest plank for a Sheraton Bechstein model “A” grand. Another late night in the workshop! Note the old plank just behind (underneath …
New tools…
Such a long time since my last post, but felt I just had to share a picture of my latest acquisition – a pair of …
In the workshop…
After a very enjoyable Christmas break, I’m once again in the workshop! I realised today I’ve not updated my website for many months – I’ve …
Blüthner soundboard work…
Such a long time since I added anything new to my website! Here’s the piano I’m currently working on. The soundboard was in rather a …
New keyboard…
After rather a lot of measuring and calculating, the specifications for a new keyboard were sent to Aug. Laukhuff in Germany. Seen here, part of …
Style-X finished…
The Style-X Blüthner now resides in the showroom at Handel Pianos in Sunningdale. The piano looks and sounds even better I’d hoped it would – …
Style-X dampers…
Seen here, the dampers in the third section of the piano, complete with a little damper on the side of the head for the Aliquot …