[pianotech] Opinion on Termite Damaged Piano Requested

[Richard W. Bushey]

Termites or Carpenter Ants? Since pianos from Hawaii and termite damage was brought up, thought I'd share some pics with you.  Just replaced the bottom board of this piano just 2 weeks ago.  Had ant (or termite) damage back in 2004 and the piano did come from Hawaii.  I'm thinking I saw something in the tecnician's notes about an ant colony that was exterminated in 2004.  I service Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. and this was from a military family who must have been stationed in Hawaii at some point.

Anyway, I'm really not sure how they used the piano from then til now, but the pedals were sure in unuseable condition when I found them.  

Tilted on it's back, and the bottom board off, there was no evidence of damage in the main case at all, only the bottom board.  Why, don't know, but I guess they were very lucky.  I inspected the entire piano and saw no evidence of them anywhere else and the piano tuned very well. Boy was I glad.  Those critters can sure do alot of damage in a short amount of time!  If the damage had been more extensive, I'd likely walked away from the job, but it looked pretty contained.

The pics are in no order, and some who like to look at things really close will be bothered by the fact that in the tilted picture the pedals don't look right, that's because they weren't hooked up yet.  Same with one of the pics on the table saw.

Always interesting things to find in this profession.  Keeps life exciting!


Richard W. Bushey
Richard's Piano Service
www.RichardsPianoService.com
Rbushey at RichardsPianoService.com
573-765-9903



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Paul Williams 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Friday, October 26, 2012 5:14 PM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] Opinion on Termite Damaged Piano Requested


  Open one can of worms…then 10 others rear their heads!  Sounds like Halloowweeeeenn!  Be very careful on this one, buddy! Really a  keyframe?  Sounds pretty scary! 


  Maybe or maybe not. I guess a visit first is in order. It might be worth the visit to like or take the job, or run run as fast as you can.  You never know.  Never take a job on over the phone DAMHIK!!!!


  To Wim,  I would say run away from it. Termites are damage.  They go into everything! Can't even see the extra damage yet until you pull the plate, etc.  You should know by now in the land we all like to vacation in! Ahhhh….Hawaii!  For the next 6 months, I would love to be there…..Winter's coming in soon buddy!  Celebrating 37 today as a high temp!   Have to put my Keen's away for the winter and I hate that!




  Paul




  From: Terry Farrell <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com>
  Reply-To: "pianotech at ptg.org" <pianotech at ptg.org>
  Date: Friday, October 26, 2012 5:00 PM
  To: "pianotech at ptg.org" <pianotech at ptg.org>
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] Opinion on Termite Damaged Piano Requested



  This isn't my piano - but rather a potential client's who may have me do a belly job on it. He is aware that the keyframe is all chewed up. He has made arrangements for a new keyframe (AHHH!!!). 


  One thing I do know is that there CAN be major problems. Like a Knabe 6' (or so) grand that I used to service at a hospital. I told them the thing was termite infested. But they didn't do anything about it until one morning when they came to work and found the piano down on the floor (as in not on its legs). The termites had eaten the keybed and the legs broke off.


  Terry Farrell


  On Oct 26, 2012, at 5:04 PM, tnrwim at aol.com wrote:


    Terry

    How much are you going to in the rebuilding process?  I recently rebuilt a Baldwin F because it was in a fire. But it also had considerable termite damage, especially on the action frame. So be sure to pull the action and check for termite damage, (remove the stack and take off the keys). Other than that you shouldn't have any problems

    Wim

    Sent from my iPhone

    On Oct 26, 2012, at 10:47 AM, Terry Farrell <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com> wrote:


      I'm looking for some opinions on the wisdom of rebuilding a 9' Knabe concert grand that has some termite damage. A client of mine owns the piano. I have my own opinion. I'm just wondering what others experience may have taught them.



      There appears to be relatively minor damage in several areas of the piano: rim braces, rim, keybed, etc. One can find only one or two smallish galleries in these areas.



      IMHO, one would have to pretty much destroy much of the piano to be sure about how much damage there might be.



      Presumably the termite activity is not active. The piano was shipped to a fumagation facility and it was gassed in their fumagation chamber. Then the piano was moved back to the home and then the entire home was tented and fumagated. So, I can only assume that if fumagation does indeed work, any termites that were in there are all dead.



      Thoughts?



      Thanks.



      Terry Farrell




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