Replies

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Jul 15, 2011 10:39am | #1

   Finishing fine pianos is a complex and difficult job.  If you are dealing the the original finish, it was probably many, many coats of a hand rubbed finish.  You can contact Steinway and they will give you info and advise.

   I would be careful about quoting a price.  You could easily be digging yourself into a deep, expensive hole.

   BTW, "P" = "Patina"

   Another thought, a piano that age may be rightly thought of as an antique.  Antiques can have a lot of their value impaired with a project like you are considering.  In general, antiques can be structurally repaired and can have minimal cosmetic repairs without affecting the value.  Complete redo's are generally not looked upon favorably unless performed by the manufacturer or a highly recognized expert.  You might want to suggest to the customer that she contact an antique expert who knows pianos.  Contacting Steinway would also be a good idea.

2. 
   hammer1 | Jul 15, 2011 10:54am | #2

   Your post throws up a lot of red flags for me. The first thing to know is that the piano will no longer be a Steinway if you touch it, and that can be an important issue. The fact that you talk about sanding is problematic as is your description of using Mohawk products. From my experiences, this is not what Mohawk recommends. Steinway has a restoration service, regardless of where the piano is. To maintain the value of a Steinway and to keep it a Steinway, your customer may want to use them. I mean no offense and I'm sure you do excellent work but this may be a special piano. It's one of those times when you have to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Despite doing a wonderful finish, you could devalue the instrument significantly. I would contact Steinway for their take and an evaluation before proceeding. It will prove to be valuable information for you. A Steinway rosewood 7' grand could be worth  $60,000+, retail

1. 
   Westchester | Jul 15, 2011 12:40pm | #3

   Piano

   Fumes,

   The other posters have waived the caution flag in front of you because your post doesn't sound as though you're experienced enough to handle this job.   Putting aside what's ethical

   Sun fading is a pain.  You will need to do a thorough stripping + sanding.  The finish is beyond preservation from the sun and rosewood finishes most of the time have cracks from the oil in the woods.  Sometimes the fading can be so bad that you need to bleach everything equally before staining.  Rosewood has a lot of natural color and is an oily wood - keep those facts in mind.

   I would use a dye stain that can be applied to the wood and also mixed into your finish.  This way you can use the same stain/color to blend and uniform the woods when finishing on top of the stain.

   SA

1. 
   user-64052 | Jul 15, 2011 02:12pm | #4

   sudsy ammonia

   wll somewhat help bring back the colour to rosewood. I had to do a roewood wall years ago that had had a berskin hanging on it and you can gather what it looked like when the bearskin was removed. removed the old finish and then proceeded tyo wash down the lighter ares with sudsy ammomia. job done.

   ron

2. 
   fumes_are_friends | Jul 16, 2011 01:04am | #6

   Actually a Steinway?
   First of all, you're all correct in your assumption that I'm not experienced enough to confidently do this job. The only reason I didn't tell her I couldn't do it and probably the only reason she came to me in the first place is that she's had it refinished AND completely re-done inside and out at the exact place I now work, so more than likely, it isn't a Steinway at all anymore. The only thing original is the cabinet and the other exterior wooden pieces.

   Bearing that in mind, she asked for it to be stripped, the wood to be uniformly colored, and a new finish put on it. I don't know how the last finish was done, but I may be able to find out and post it here.

   Considering the circumstances surrounding the "Steinway", would I be wrong in quoting around $2,000 to $4,000 for the job? Considering the fact that I now have to do this job no matter what now that she's told the owner that she wants me to do it, and she said that she doesn't care as long as the finished product looks nice.

   You mentioned using dye stains and bleaching, I think what I've got are dye stains? (NGR concentrates, mohawk M520 series). Can these types be added to a nitro sealer or pre-cat lacquer? I've never really tried bleaching, not quite sure how it's done, but as it seems like my best option, I'll be reading up on it. Someone was also concerned about the way I have been using mohawk products, how would you use these type of stains? Better yet, considering the circumstances surrounding the "Steinway", how would you re-finish the whole thing? From stripping to spraying.

   Thanks for you help

1. 
   hammer1 | Jul 16, 2011 07:56am | #7

   Is this a joke, Fumes? I sure hope so. There can be times when a knowledgeable craftsman needs to give prudent advise to their customer. If nothing else, have the instrument appraised by somebody that is qualified. It may cost a few hundred but that could save tens of thousands in value. At least, take a bunch of photos and contact Steinway. Four out of five responders to your post have warned you, are you listening? It's hard to believe a Steinway owner could be so misinformed.

   http://www.beethovenpianos.com/showpiano.php?id=656

2. 
   user-64052 | Jul 16, 2011 01:23pm | #8

   If you do not know

   what you are doing, then I would suggest not doing it. why do people always try and chew off more than they can bite.. no you do not have to do it. you can always say graciously that perhaps it is a bigger job than you are eqipped to handle, but your ego will get the best of you and you'll  dig yourself into a hole where no one will be happy with the results. you have no idea of even how to price it. sp what happens when you get into it and then figure out that you are going to take a big bite in the ass. are you going to fulfill the commitment that you took on to do a quality job or are you going to cut corners

   one doesn't have to stain rosewood. what is the senseof putting it on there in the first place.

   don't fuck it up

   ron

1. 
   fumes_are_friends | Jul 16, 2011 08:17pm | #9

   it's not about ego
   Please understand everyone, I'm not trying to prove anything. I have no control over what comes into the shop, the store-owner and the owner of the piano already decided on bringing it in before I was told about it, they only asked me what I would charge. So if I refuse to do the job, it's just going to sit in my shop forever collecting dust.

   I have three weeks or so before it's delivered and in that time I'm trying to learn as much about this piano as I can, find out what my finish options are, and ask to be sure about any and every detail I need to before I have the chance to fuck it up.

   That said, I understand if some of you aren't comfortable having any part of this, but if not I'd really appreciate some advice or if nothing else just tell me if something I'm planning to do is wrong.

   I'll repost when I know more about the piano and everything else, after all I posted on here for help because I know I can't do this without professional opinions, not because I'm an egotistical jackass blindly charging exorbitant amounts to ruin peoples property and I want to tell people about it.

3. 
   roc | Jul 16, 2011 12:04am | #5

   All I can add is . . .

    a rosewood (veneer ) Steinway !  Sweet !

   I don't know about all those fumes Fumes.  I am thinking nah dude nah.