Piano Stool/Bench plans.

[Zeddedhed]

Hi chaps and chapesses - a request for you to consider....
my five year old daughter is just starting out learning the piano (which we have already) but is minus a decent stool/bench.
The missus has asked me to get on it and build one asap.
I prefer the bench style, with a hinged seat with storage for music books/lego etc underneath. It doesn't need to be upholstered necessarily, although it probably would be better and more 'user friendly' if it was.
Does anyone have any plans or info on optimal heights, sizes etc?
I'd be interested in finding out if anyone here has made one or is in the process of doing so.
Thanks etc.

Pete

 

[flying haggis]

Do you play the piano, is so how about building something like this to encourage your daughter

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DELUXE-ADJUST ... 461355096f

or with storage

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THE-PERFECT-D ... 4cfe62d3fd

 

[AndyT]

From limited experience of a few piano players in the family, the adjustable height is really worth having, especially for a growing child. Commercial seats use a scissor mechanism which is probably difficult to source. I think I remember a discussion which came to the conclusion that they were available in the US but not here. You could design some other sort of adjustable mechanism, perhaps based on a pair of wedges, but that could be quite challenging.
An ordinary bench is easy - it's just a table with a padded top.
Our commercially made stool adjusts from 470 to 550mm measuring to the top of the padding.

 

[xy mosian]

I've just had a squiz through the Fletcher & Newman site. http://www.fletcher-newman.co.uk/ These are the piano parts people. I didn't see a stool scissor jack. However I see they list a screw adjustable round stool amongst their other piano stools, that may be an option.
I recall someone on here rang F&N to see if a jack was available and though they weren't, he bought a damaged stool with a jack. He managed to rescue the jack for his own use. May be worth a call.

xy

 

[Racers]

Ikea do a screw adjustable stool you could use the screw.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60155602/


Pete

 

[Zeddedhed]

Thanks for the info/advice guys.
I've decided (after consultation with SWMBO) that I'll build a two person bench, with the seat split into two halves, each half adjustable independently.
I have a cunning plan (sort of) for how to do this without resorting to screws or scissor jacks. Due to a sudden influx of real (paying) work, it looks like this project is going to have to be deferred for a month or two, but when it kicks off I'll post some pictures etc of the plans and my progress.
Thanks once again.