52-36 Piano box

1951
12

This is my entry for the CURVED contest.
The box is a kerfed and laminated design with some dry and steam bending on the stretcher and legs.
The box is made from Baltic birch ply for the main body and veneered with shop cut walnut veneer.
The hinges are coil springs which work quite well in this application and are very inexpensive and easy to install ,the lid stay is also a spring loaded design.
The title came from the amount of keys that makes up the keyboard which is 52 white-maple keys and 36 black-walnut keys.
The interior liner is a red cloth with a cardboard backing for the bottom portion and the sides are double cloth with hemming tape and glued to the sides.
The finish is boiled linseed oil and a bees wax -mineral oil mix but further polishing is to come .
Hopefully I will be able to do a complete build blog on this as another box is being requested .

12 Comments

Very well done my man. Very beautiful.
Sorry to hear about your grief.
Stay strong.

Tor and Odin are the greatest of gods.

Just perfect Klaus.
Curvalicious !

The early bird gets the worm but its the second mouse that gets the cheese.

Exquisite Kiefer!

Very unique box.

Abbas, Castro Valley, CA

Klaus,

Your piano is beautiful — such lovely details. I was given a similar box from a friend when she traveled to Europe 30 or 40 years ago, but it is not anywhere near as nice as yours. I have a nearly century-old Howard grand piano from my childhood in my home which I enjoy playing often.

How large is the box? And are all those keys each individual pieces of wood? Wow!

Thanks for sharing.

L/W

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” Benjamin Franklin

Wonderful Klaus. I grew up with a real piano like that. I wish I had it now, but my wife is glad I don’t for the obvious reason. Beautiful job on that keyboard too with all those little keys.

Mike, an American living in Norway

Beautiful and meticulous. How on earth did you make the keys?

Losing fingers since 1969

Thank you for all the kind comments and questions .

Here are the answers to the questions
The size is 11" W x 4" H x 10 1/2" D
The keyboard is made up of 52 pieces of maple 4mm wide that are glued to a backing strip and then I cut the slots for the black keys which are 1.9mm wide and glued in the black keys .
The seperation line of the white keys is cut with a small pull saw .
A lot of work but well worth it in the end as I wanted the box to appear like the real thing .
The curves where the main object that steered me to this project and my wife and I both like the look of the grand piano and my wifes family piano went to her sister so now she has a piano again .
I will try to do a blog on the build and explain the process but bear with with me .
I may also try to build a left handed version as I became aware that there is such a piano .

Klaus

Klaus,

I’m a lefty but cannot imagine having to learn to play backwards! Does that mean the music has to be written “upside down”? A piano would be rather large to tote around with me when I want to play at church or elsewhere. LOL I would think it would be pretty difficult for someone who plays a left-handed piano to just sit down and play a conventional piano . . . but what do I know? Those left handers are probably a whole lot smarter than I am.

Thanks for teaching me something new!

L/W

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” Benjamin Franklin

Congratulations on the Awards “runner up”
Well done

Toxins Out, Nature In - body/mind/spirit

Congratulations Klaus.

MontanaBob

Outstanding build

woodworking classes, custom furniture maker