Upcycled: DIY Piano... Or Rather, DIY "Keyboard Shell"

Last year I met a guy named Stephen Limbaugh. Stephen is an amazing pianist and and just came out with his debut EP! Go on over to his webpage http://stephenlimbaugh.com/ and check him out. Don't be swayed by his love of cats ;)

Anyways, we met and collaborated on a project called "The Limbaugh." The design concept was definitely interesting and something that I had never thought of doing before. A puzzle-piece gutted piano. Stephen is a concert pianist and he has a small SUV. The idea was to make a "piano" that encased his keyboard and broke down easily for transport, which meant that it had to fit inside his car. And I had one month to make it. Unfortunately, I have a full-time job, so it meant working every weekend, up until his performance, but it was definitely a rewarding experience.

We started with designs that he really liked. Stephen really preferred the modern piano by Fazioli.

We came up with a design (major thanks in part to Stephen's manager) for a similar concept based off of a craigslist find. We would use hinges and dowels to allow the pieces break apart easily and fold up into his car. 

I found an old Pre-WWI bathtub on Craigslist for $300. 

The idea was to flip it upside-down and use it as a base (see pic below). 

We negotiated and purchased the tub! It took way too many hours to remove the three layers of paint, but it was worth it. The original steel was absolutely beautiful. 

(Halfway done)

Next step, cutting and assembling the wood with dowels. 

Once the dowels were in place, we cut and placed the top. 

In the photo below you can see the guys finishing up the paint removal on the tub and I'm working on the inside placeholders for the keyboard.

After the paint on the tub was removed, we put it all together. It was great seeing the idea come to life! 

Stephen wanted black glossy paint and then the guys decided they liked the idea of gold lettering and a gold base. So, after several hours of paint, here's the final product: 

We later added lettering from Dana Decals, officially naming it "The Limbaugh." 

It took a ton of hours and a few moments of panic, but the finished product was awesome. It breaks down into 8 different pieces, and along with the keyboard, fits perfectly into the back of Stephen's car. 

Below is a picture from Stephen's concert using the piece!