A grand plan

[ 2pm ]

Fall is the time for longer evenings and home entertainment. What better than a grand piano for the changing seasons? I’ve started the sound board, and just finished the strings.

Soon I hope to have further progress to show. Back to the workshop for the rest of the 1:144 scale woodwork.

[ 4pm ]

Progress has progressed, the main section is starting to take shape. I finished the string section with the support bars, and then soaked a 3mm-wide strip to make it bendy for the outside shape of the piano. Being wet it will take a while for the glue to set and fix it all in place, hence the colourful balloon spectacle, courtesy of a few sewing pins.

[ 8pm ]

The evening is now underway, and the base of the grand is shaping up. Three pedals to add additional sound effects, and a few strengthening bars to keep the strings in tune. The legs have round tenons, which fit into drilled holes in the supports to keep it all stable.

[ 9pm ]

The keys added, and a last look in the case before the lid is added

[ 10pm ]

The evening draws to a close, and the piano is finished, including a stool, ready for the pianist to tickle the ivories. I tried tuning it, but then I realized that the tones would be inaudible to us full-scale humans. Click on any of the images for a closer look.

At the 1:144 microminiature scale, the piano is about 10 mm wide (just over 3/8″) wide, which is about 5′, or 150 cm in real life. Time for some Beethoven I think.