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Scrapping an old piano

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  1. #1
    JunkmanDan started this thread.
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    Scrapping an old piano

    Is it worth the time and effort to pick apart an old piano for scrap? My next door neighbor has an old beat up one that he's looking to get rid of and he offered it to me, but before I take it or not take it, I just wanna know if I should use my time for breaking other stuff down if there isn't much inside a piano worth picking it apart for, or if it's worthwhile to dissect it.



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    SuperDave's Avatar
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    The soundboard looks like a harp laying down. Generally these are cast iron(heavy) but some(very few) are brass.
    There are some other threads below that also cover alot on this topic.
    Most should yield a few hundred pounds but alot of work. Plus having to dispose of the rest...
    Also they make for great campfires...

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    Russell's Avatar
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    Be careful of the tension wires. Try disassembling one. I'm a fan of trying something once. At least you'll learn how something works; if you find its not worth your time.

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    did a few uprights back in the 1900's with trusty sledge hammer to bust up cast iron harp.

    objective was to remove from basements while keeping family jewels intact.

    big noise = big headache

    massive lag bolts holding the harp to heavy wood frame

    better money was made selling the ivory keys and any carved trim or panels that survived to antique dealers

  5. #5
    KzScrapper's Avatar
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    +1 on what Oldtooth said. I did one...saved the panels and lower legs/supports for future projects and sold the keys(mine were plastic) for $20. I would have to be pretty board and or hungry to do another.
    Last edited by KzScrapper; 04-06-2013 at 08:28 PM.
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    TheRecycler's Avatar
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    As long as you have a cost free way of dealing with the wood, go for it.
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    If it's old enough some of the wood will be true mahogany. It is worth more than than any of the other pieces unless the keys are true ivory. Mahogany was outlawed for import but older pieces that have it are okay to sell. Preembarrgo. This older mahogany is Swietenia mahagoni. The other stuff is what woodworkers call new mahogany. All the stuff listed on ebay honduraian etc... is not real mahogany. I broke down an old player piano years ago. The beam in back was real swietenia I sold it for $1200.

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    I would do pianos all day long. Simple. Dig a pit with a shovel or skidsteer. Throw them in and set it on fire. Then rip ya clothes off and start whooping and hollering and dancing around the pit calling the scrap gods for more scrap. Then after fire goes out, collect the cast and get paid. Simple.

    Ok maybe in my case I would leave my clothes. Not many people like to see a dirty old fat scrap man dancing...LMAO!

    But I would do pianos all day if I had a place to burn THEM!

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    may be worth scrapping may be worth more. i have scrapped several, my father own a pipe organ and piano business and we have removed and salvaged, scrapped several, if you can find a make and model on it deffinatly check it out or PM me with the info, 99% of them that are beat up now are mass produced and not worth much even when they were made but occasionally you find a good one or something with real ivory keys which sell well, if it is one for junk if you are good with woodworking you could repourpose it into a shelf, do a google image search on piano shelf to get some ideas, here is one example

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    where do u sell the ivory


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