I took apart a piano -- Look what I got!

Did you ever wonder how many salvageable parts are in an upright piano?
Watch this video and you'll find out.

[@pteddie6965]

Hey, Tom. I've done the same thing to two pianos at my church. My experience was similar to yours. I did use some of plywood to make a few small shelves, and I saved a little hardware. I did not save most of the screws, because they were all slotted screws and I hate slotted screws almost as much as I hate cabbage and broccoli!! Thanks for sharing this video.

[@CatfishLove]

This is an injustice!! Never would I have done this!!

[@klm4149]

I can do it in an hour now. I built a piano wall for the soundboards (harps) but I use EVERYTHING else for art! ❤️❤️❤️

[@DougPalumbo]

Very cool! I’ve been checking around for old doors and other wooden items to reclaim and use in projects thanks to this channel!

[@AlleyPicked]

I got more good wood from a door than this whole piano.

[@FranksDIY]

nice . I have one in my family room and you just reminded me it needs to be tuned lol

[@justenkelley7158]

The plate is made from iron composite because it has a very low harmonic frequency and won't cause sympathetic vibrations like steel would.

[@thesam19841]

So ive been researching taking apart pianos as i have a few ideas for repurposing them... the harp is under huge tension... i saw you step on the wires... the cast iron is supported by the framework of the piano (the part you cut off with a saw)... i hope you loosened the wires tension... if not when the metal is off the frame and the wires are tight, the cast iron canbreak causing the wires to snap and these wires can really hurt or kill you... i believe pianos the same age as pump organs are solid wood, and a church piano id believe was from the 50s+ which would explain mostly veneer construction

[@architypeone8646]

There is a guitar maker on You tube that salvages the sound boards of old pianos...(100 yrs or more), and uses it for guitar tops. In the old pianos the sound board is usually quartersawn spruce that has been ageing and vibrating from the piano strings for decades so it is ideal for good tone on a guitar...players say the wood "opens up" with age and playing and sounds better. Others say older guitars sound better because the wood was old growth huge trees that had tighter grain so it has a stiffer quality and isn't as "weak as newer wood. If it is solid old growth quartersawn spruce, instrument makers might be interested in it.

[@jonnscott4858]

splinters and a bad back.

[@georgequalls5043]

The action screws are handy. Thought you might spin out the tuning pins. You could make a workbench out of the case.

[@whoolph]

Always interesting!! . . . . Rog

[@DrBlues76]

What was the core wood beneath the veneer? I am making a piano bar/desk out of my 1921 upright and all of the core wood was old growth oak. I used a wet towel and iron to remove the veneer and the wood beneath was arguably more beautiful than the mahogany veneer that had covered it. I build piano bars and furniture for a living and I’m always curious what other craftsman find. Thanks for posting!

[@DrBlues76]

Sorry, I sent you this comment before I watched the rest of the video. I see that the core was plywood. Still, you yielded a lot of handy materials!

[@SR-rz9uj]

If using pianos pre-1930s, do you think the wood is usable to make plank flooring? Current floor sections of my 1901 house need to be replaced and wasn’t sure if all those free pianos could be used for this? Thank you!

[@christianwouters6764]

It is perfectly possible to separate the harp from the pinblock and the soundboard by removing the tuning pins.

[@swagswap]

I see so many free pianos on craigslist, but I haven't snapped one up yet.

[@AlleyPicked]

yea...don't bother :-)

[@johnlewis9649]

Older and higher quality pianos have much better wood in them. By older I mean from at least 1900 to 1935

[@ericsikma4764]

Wow. Can't resist. Read the title and heard the opening comments...Right about...THEN...was when the wise-acre "remark alternative" hit... OK, here we go: "I took apart a piano -- Look what I got!" "Ummmmmmmmmm...WIRED?????????" Oh, boy. Watched the video and the "wise-acre thing" strikes again... "Yeah, but...The $10,000 question is, 'Does it carry a tune?'" (Thank you very much...{He takes a bow...twice. Face it: I need to get out more.})

[@AlleyPicked]

When does the comedy tour begin? :-) Ba dum bump

[@ericsikma4764]

@@AlleyPicked Lost track, actually. The phrase "gentle yet semi-sarcastic sense of humor" has been part of the personal vocabulary for a LON-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-NG time now. LOL! The alibi on that one is, "The Joy of The Lord is my strength." That "semi-sarcastic" thing gets me in trouble from time to time but...umm...oh well. They'll get over it. (Besides...Born in Michigan on this end...I'm sure you know ALL ABOUT that "Midwestern sense of humor" stuff. PFFF!!!!! Alibi there: "Learned it all from the relatives". Yup, that's a good idea. Will stick with it. (Did I say "alibi" that second time? I meant "EXCUSE". No, I meant to imply an actual alibi. It failed. I'll...Be...DIPPED.)

[@Woodden]

Hay Tom I made a desk from a piano Turned out great

[@AlleyPicked]

I'm Impressed. Put's me to shame :-)

[@freddyhueramo1807]

How much did you get for the cast iron after

[@AlleyPicked]

Put it in the alley for the scrapper.

[@steves7896]

This is an EXACT mirror scenario of what I'm dealing with today. Same piano, same parts, same values and conclusions. Except everything that was plywood for you is particle board for me. Garbage. I salvaged it from a coworker because I'd like to make a coffee table out of the plate. Did you do anything with the plate?

[@AlleyPicked]

By plate, I assume you mean the harp? I couldn't get it off without major effort. I left it in the alley for the scrapper.

[@steves7896]

@@AlleyPicked Yeah, the harp. I took all the screws and fasteners off that were holding it to the sound board but still couldn't get it off. Upon closer inspection I found that the tuning pins pass through the harp metal and into the wood of the sound board. Glad I didn't try any harder with the crow bar!

[@redsresearch]

How do you know if its plywood or hardwood

[@AlleyPicked]

If you look at the edges of the wood you can see lines or "ply's". These are layers of wood glued together to make plywood.

[@redsresearch]

@@AlleyPicked you'll be able to see the lines everytime?

[@AlleyPicked]

If it's painted or stained, you might have to scrape it but usually you can see it. Sometimes, they edge band the wood which also tells me that it's plywood.

[@redsresearch]

@@AlleyPicked edge band? What about dressers and stuff where they coat it with whatever