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Piano disposal question

  • 1.  Piano disposal question

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-27-2017 17:01
    Well, that's pretty much my question. How does one dispose of an ordinary piano that is no longer serviceable and not worth the cost of repair? 

    But first, thanks to Mark Purney for the following article on this subject, from 2014. 
    https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-way-to-dispose-of-a-piano 

    At least in Los Angeles...
    pianos are excluded from bulky item pick up. 
    recycling costs more than the value of what's collected so recycler's don't want them.

    This is a great article from the New York Times, 7/30/12 on dumping pianos. Very sad, actually.
    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/arts/music/for-more-pianos-last-note-is-thud-in-the-dump.html 

    OK so I know that effort should be put in to finding a new home for a piano that is old and worth less than nothing, but has been used and loved and is still somewhat viable. But my question is more concerned with pianos like beat up spinets that have been stored in the garage for 20 years. It stopped being a piano a long time ago. Is taking it to the dump the only way?

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    Geoff Sykes, RPT
    Los Angeles CA
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  • 2.  RE: Piano disposal question

    Posted 05-27-2017 19:12
    Bonfire and salvage the metal for $$.





  • 3.  RE: Piano disposal question

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-27-2017 23:40
      |   view attached

    Geoff,

     

    It is a lot of work, but it is a worthwhile endeavor to break it up and recycle those parts that have value.

     

    Unstringing it, break the sides off, unscrew the plate, etc. Once removed from the piano the plate can be sold to metal recycling, as can the copper from the bass strings.  It might be worth checking to see if the key leads could also be recycled – lead is so rarely used now that it may have no value.

     

    All the rest has to be thrown out., but that is easier to do once it's broken up.

     

    Oh, and for those who like bonfires, much of the leftover wood makes wonderful fires. Not sure if the picture will come through . . . it's me burning a Kawai pinblock. ��

     

    Don Mannino

     






  • 4.  RE: Piano disposal question

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-28-2017 01:47
    I escort on average a piano a month to the transfer station. Mostly very old uprights needing repairs beyond profitability. Others damaged beyond repair. Almost none of these pianos carry any sentimental value. There are still tens of thousands of pianos from the early part of the 1900's available for rebuilding, so I am not worried about running out of supply.

    At this point, I have more than one of most of the kinds of actions in existence on the loft in my shop available for parts. Not being Isaac, I don't need a stockpile beyond that. About the only thing I actively recycle is the casters. 

    At the moment, metal recyclers are paying far less than a few years ago. I have trouble justifying hours pulling a plate out of a piano for a payoff of a few dollars. I once took the time to unravel a set of copper windings, the effort did not compensate me for my time.

    In our county, the landfill charges strictly by weight. It averages $30 to $40 a piano. I will gladly pay it and be done.

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    David Stocker
    Olympia WA
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  • 5.  RE: Piano disposal question

    Posted 05-28-2017 07:50
    I frequently take a piano to the landfill. It goes into the section for construction debris which costs $120/ton. I salvage a few items: grand music desks (want some?), lyre and lid prop sticks. Upright lids make good trays in the shop for key transport or even shelving. Fallboard knobs, music desks/support 'tombstones' and those metal pedal lever supports. I remove the leads as they are toxic and recycle them into spinets and consoles to effect a -6g FW on their naturals.

    I dismantled a 7' HF Miller in the early years. After realizing $3 for the scrap iron it was a no-brainer not to do that again. I do save brass pedals if they're not difficult to remove because the payoff is less than $.50/lb.

    I have a few upright and one grand keybed for regulation in the shop. This past winter, I needed to take a piano down to the back w/sides to get it out of the remodeled house. Those old upright were really built.

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    Regards,

    Jon Page


  • 6.  RE: Piano disposal question

    Posted 05-28-2017 08:54
    You can dump pianos at a "tip site" where contractors bring construction debris. You are charged by weight. It generally costs me around $30. Last month, I pulled the plate from a baby grand to sell the empty case to a local keyboard player. The plate weighed 230 pounds, and I got $12.65 for it.

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    Philip Jamison
    Philip Jamison Pianos
    WEST CHESTER PA
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  • 7.  RE: Piano disposal question

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-28-2017 15:42
    Geoff:  I recycle everything that I can and cut up the rest to burn in my wood stove.  I live in a small town where I can do that but in a large city that could be a problem.  I know that takes valuable time but if you have a few minutes on days and not enough time to start a new project It can be done fairly quickly.

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    Clarence Zeches
    Piano Service Enterprise School of Technology
    Toccoa GA
    706-886-4035
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  • 8.  RE: Piano disposal question

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-29-2017 18:45
    Recently I have been telling people who call trying to get rid of their old unwanted piano: "Yes, we will take it, but the removal and disposal fee is a minimum of $400". This stops most people right there, however we have had a few takers.  This basically pays for the cost of moving it out. Then the mover disposes of it.

    I believe that there is a market for "recycling" pianos at an even higher price, though it would take some "marketing". Precisely how I have not worked out (nor do I have the time).  There is a percentage of people with means who will actually pay to have their piano dismantled, and either repurposed into something else or properly disposed of (I think $600-$800 would do it) Of course lead is the primary toxic substance and the biggest pain to remove. All the rest can be recycled but one would need a sufficient quantity to make them come and get it.

    Oh well...pie in the sky...

    Pwg

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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    603-686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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  • 9.  RE: Piano disposal question

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-29-2017 18:57
    I've attached a YouTube link to the piano shredder.  Pretty impressive if you like seeing an old piano getting chewed up. Pretty disturbing if you like old pianos.
    I'm sure this link has probably already come up on this list, but here it is again:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJzG7CSYg3U&app=desktop

    Richard West








  • 10.  RE: Piano disposal question

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-29-2017 19:00
    Oops, that link didn't seem to work. Search "piano shredding" if you're still interested.

    Richard West







  • 11.  RE: Piano disposal question

    Posted 05-29-2017 19:08
    Yep, last part through was a soundboard rib. Just saying!