[pianotech] What kind of wood is this?

[Kurt Baxter]

Thanks for the quick replies!

I was thinking it was an unusual veneer choice, and it's nice to know that
it's as odd as I thought it was.

The grain is indeed dramatic, although up close its not nearly as "refined"
a look as say a nice dense walnut. I am also glad to hear the fading
dye explanation, as I have never heard of that and it would explain this
effect exactly.

Now, I just need to convince the guy to go ahead and take the piano (It's a
"free if you move" deal) and get it restored.

Brass flanges (eek!) but none are broken so far... Could end up a good
musical value, or could be a money pit. I'm not sure how risk adverse this
prospective client is.


-Kurt Baxter



On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 3:38 PM, Delwin D Fandrich <del at fandrichpiano.com>wrote:

>  Rotary sliced ash.
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> ddf
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> Delwin D Fandrich
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> Piano Design & Fabrication
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> 620 South Tower Avenue
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> Centralia, Washington 98531 USA
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> del at fandrichpiano.com
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> ddfandrich at gmail.com
> Phone  360.736.7563
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> *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] *On
> Behalf Of *Sheila Holcomb
> *Sent:* Thursday, August 26, 2010 8:58 AM
> *To:* Pianotech List
> *Subject:* [pianotech] What kind of wood is this?
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> (photos here:
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/23869082@N03/sets/72157624687893411/ )
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> Sporer, Carlson & Berry Upright, No. 1571
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> No year listed in the atlas, but the company made pianos from 1860-1915
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> My first guess from the color and rough grain texture would be oak, but I
> have never seen this sort of dramatic curl pattern in oak.
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> Anyone else seen this look before?
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> Also, any guesses on age?
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> The other weird thing is that at first I thought it had been refinished,
> due to the light color compared to the color under the lid, but then I
> notice the the crazing in the finish is still there. Is there any way
> someone lightened the finish without removing the crazing?
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> Oh, and this was a fire salvage piano and then stored, so it would have
> been exposed to heat and then covered in a layer of soot for about 10 years.
> You can see silhouettes of knickknacks and photo frames on the lid where the
> heat discolored the finish.
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> [k]
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