Day 21 – Sunday, June 20:

Goals: Start work on the harp.

Music: Short time working outside, so nothing today. Just the sound of my Ryobi power drill with wire brush head.

I had to work outside in the yard today, so I didn’t have much time for working on the piano. Still, I did have a few minutes before lunch, so I carried the harp outside, set it on sawhorses, and had at it with the power drill/wire brush combo. It does not seem like I’m going to be able to get all the way down to the metal with this method, and since I plan just to paint it, that’s fine. I’ll concentrate on getting all the dirt, dust, grime, and chipped paint off. As long as the surface is even and clean, I’ll be able to make it look like new again.

I ordered almost everything else I need to complete the piano: felt for the action and keys, brass letters for the fascia board, and the large screws for attaching the harp to the piano body. I will order the strings and veneer on Monday, then all I’ll need is the hardware: hinges and a lock.

And although I still have a lot of woodworking to go, it’s exciting to already be able to see the finish line this early in the project. It will be nice to have all the major expenses behind me, too, investing only labor after I buy just a few more things.