I'm not a coatings expert, but I did a little reading up on various
coatings some years ago, having had really bad experiences with modern
varnish.  I would assert that nearly all the early 1900s pianos had
topcoats of either shellac or oil and wax.

Here is the shellac test (in an inconspicuous place): if the finish
gets sticky with a little alcohol on a rag, it is likely to be shellac.
Modern nitrocellulose lacquer emerged in the early 1920s, and it soon
began to appear on furniture and pianos.  Modern lacquers are not
significantly dissolved by alcohol, so if the shellac test doesn't
work try it with a little lacquer thinner.  If that fails, then you
might have varnish.

As a personal goal, I tried to finish an upright piano using a top
quality varnish, and rub it out by hand with pumice and rottenstone.
Just the time alone it took to build up enough layers of varnish
convinced me that no manufacturer of consumer pianos would ever bother
to have the dry times necessary for varnish because it would extend the
production time considerably.  Certainly shellac would have been the
preferred coating; in an afternoon one could have many coats applied.

The hand rubbing was just a goal to see if I could do it -- never
again on an object the size of a piano!  I used the "Rockhard Tabletop
Varnish" available from Woodcraft stores, an excellent oil-based varnish.

Some might be interested in a recipe for a paste wax that I used:

  1/2 pound of paraffin wax; try to find a high melting point:
    at least 130 F, but over 140 F would be best;
  1/2 pound of carnauba wax (crushed to gravel size);
  1 to 2 cups turpentine.

Do this out-of-doors:  Put waxes and turpentine in a can, and set the
can in a pot of boiling water, elevated a little from the bottom of the
pot.  Mix constantly until all is melted.  You will want to boil off
some of the turpentine.  Remove from the heat, and let cool, stirring
occasionally to keep the waxes from settling out.  It will take about
30-40 minutes to gel.

If it's too hard, return to the pot and add a little more turpentine
and repeat.  Apply as you would with any paste wax.  It smells great
and looks good.

Karl Van Scyoc
kbvans@consolidated.net.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]

 [ Karl did not say if he uses an electric heat source to boil the
 [ water (though I would assume this), not did he mention what type and
 [ size of fire extinguisher he would recommend to have nearby.   Those
 [ of you that decide to try out this recipe should consider fire
 [ safety and plan ahead.    --Jody