I've only done one complete restoration. It took about 5 months,
working 1 to 6 hours a night, about 4 nights a week, so I guess
somewhere around 300 hours total. As I said, it was my first one, but
it was (according to sources) on a simpler piano, the Cable Euphona.
The longest time spent was probably on the pneumatics because I had
only enough clamps and fixtures to do ten at a time, so I let them
set and then worked on the next ten the next night.
Making the original fixtures and guides took a couple nights. Waiting
for materials caused delays. Waiting for the hide glue to warm took
a little time each night. If I had to do a second piano, and I had all
my fixtures ready to go and all materials on hand, I could probably do
it in about 4-5 weeks.
I did everything, mind you. I cut brand new boards for at least half
the pneumatics, replaced all the old tubing, replaced every pouch,
double-sealed the bellows wood, and recovered and timed the wind motor.
I didn't want to have to go back and take everything apart in five
years to fix something I skipped the first time around!
Bill Mackin
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