Major polyester repair

[Kdivad@AOL.COM]

In a message dated Wed, 7 Aug 2002 3:27:51 PM Eastern Standard Time, cfaulk2@juno.com writes:

> 
> 
> I'm hoping someone might have some suggestions for repairing a
> Bosendorfer Imperial.
> 
> It seems someone got into the recital hall at Kansas State U. last
> weekend and set the piano cover on fire maybe with a lit candle or
> cigarette. Fortunately someone pre-empted the fire before it could do any
> serious damage.
> 
> A fairly large area of the front lid (bass corner) and the bass arm of
> the piano is now scorched. Some of the veneer is also burned and just
> hanging from the piano. I'm just glad that the inside of the Bosendorfer
> is unharmed.
> 
> I know that a lot of techs can do polyester repair on small dints and
> dings, but this calls for refinishing a relatively large area of the
> piano - up to two square feet. So I guess my question is: Does anyone
> know of a refinisher in the midwest who can do polyester refinishing? No
> matter what, it could be very expensive to fix this piano.
> 
> I'm also wondering if there is a quick and dirty way of repairing the
> piano without using polyester. The KSU Music Dept. most certainly doesn't
> have the kind of money it would take to fully restore the Bose to its
> former glory.
> 
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Charles Faulk, RPT
> Manhattan, KS 

Charles, unfortunately there is no real way to repair a disaster like this without it sticking out like a sore thumb.  If you repair and refinish the front half of the lid it will not match the back half (all blacks are different), sometimes you can get away with surfaces that are not on the same plane, such as the top and the side of the piano being just a little off in color match.  
Polyester can provide a great base to spray lacquer over (eliminating the need to strip and seal) and there may be refinishers in you area that will finish the entire piano with a little discount for the work saved.  All in all the piano will probably have to be completely refinished to look right.

David Koelzer
Vintage Pianos
DFW