Well, a couple of reasons I choose to try refinishing. 1) I have alot of experience and have had very good luck with marine finishing. I know pianos are different (although I have often thought of just getting a can a good spar varnish and brushing on about 12 coats!) and that is why I am at the beginning stages of the process. 2) I have had lousy luck getting someone to refinish pianos. People say they will, and then when its time to refinish - "my son quit and I am understaffed and am not doing pianos anymore". Or the one guy I found that did it - WOW what a nightmare of an experience. I ended up paying the %^%ing (^)(*&@ $3,000 and had to rub the piano out myself. 3) I tend to be VERY picky regarding finish quality. It's a problem in my life. At least this way I have control and if it is less than perfect, I know who to talk to about it. Also, I am not yet convinced that I have the best finishing materials (or good enough), or the best equipment (or good enough). I am well aware than one needs skill, but I also know that you will never put a fine finish on a yacht with paint from Kmart. So I search and ask you fine folks. I may have made my first post on this subject a bit too whiney. Sorry & thanks for your input. All the while I am researching and trying this refinishing, I am also on a continuing hunt for someone to sub my refinishing to. I do however, feel that I need to develop the ability to do it, at a minimum for those times when I find I cannot rely on a refinisher - like now! Terry Farrell Piano Tuning & Service Tampa, Florida mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Glenn Grafton" <glenn@graftonpiano.com> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Monday, November 20, 2000 10:49 AM Subject: Re: Piano Finishes > >Well, here I sit boxed into refinishing (or making ill-fated attempts to) a > >piano again. I am stuck on waterbase. I am eyeing OXFORD PREMIUM SPRAY > >LACQUER (1000 Series) water-base finish by Target Coatings. Has anyone tried > >it? Two features it claims attracts my interest: 100% burn in, so no > >"witness lines" when flat-sanding final coat and ease of > >flat-sanding/polishing - the big one being 100% burn-in. That is where I > >have had problems in the past. Anyone???????? > > > >I haven't even started yet, and the desperation & out-of-control feeling is > >already setting in :-(. > > Why are you attempting the refinishing if that's not your particular skill. > Your posting does not say whether or not this is your first attempt or not > at refinishing. > > We have a super piano tech here at the store and I saw his personnal piano > that he refinished himself. The refinishing did not at all match the > calibre of work he did on the rest of the piano. Most of the pianos we do > he handles the rebuilding end and another in our guy shop does the > refinishing. > > Maybe you would be better off getting a piano finisher to do the finishing. > One of the things one has to come to grips with to be sucessful is what is > that you do well and stick to that. There are a number of steps involved in > doing a top notch refinishing job-stripping, veneer and wood repair, > sanding, staining, filling of the wood grain, burn-ins, toning to match > various shades, sanding sealer, top coating, final sanding and rubbing out > the finish. You can get all the supplies and equipment, but just like > tuning pianos or building a house, having the tools and equipment is only > part of the equation. > > If it's something that you're doing as a personnal project and want to see > what you can do that's one thing. If it's for a client that you're > rebuilding their piano for that's another. You may not want to have the > customer have to settle with the results of the learning curve. > > Glenn Grafton > Grafton Piano & Organ Co. > Souderton PA > http://www.graftonpiano.com/ > glenn@graftonpiano.com > 800-272-5980 > > The box said "Requires Windows 95, or better." So I bought a Macintosh. > > >
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