WILLIAMSTON, Mich. — When life gives you lemons sometimes you have to make lemonade. And one Williamston man is doing just that by taking old pianos and giving them a new purpose in life.
Jon Boza had a stroke in November of 2020. He survived but found that he couldn't do his job as a high voltage electrician safely anymore. He needed something new.
So he picked up his tools and started Broken Brain Woodworking.
"I've always been good at fixing things and taking things apart and figuring out how to do it," Boza said. "I don't know where I came up with that idea, but I love it. I make high end, cutting boards and other custom work too."
Boza makes items like dog dishes, shelves, and custom wedding cake knives.
"I'm making a live edge desk now. I'm making a wine cabinet," Boza said. "I like it, keep it nice and organized. All my piano parts are separated by what they are, and different things."
He's even been able to repurpose an organ from the 1800s and is planning on turning it into a wine bar. He says most of the pianos that he's been getting are from the 1920s or older.
"Everybody that gives me a piano that donates one to me, I'll make them a cutting board out of the wood from it and write down their name, or have their name and the date of the piano made on it as a free gift."
Everything he makes is basically his first one because of short term memory loss from his stroke.
"All I remember is driving to work that day. And then not feeling good that morning. And then after that, it's what it is now. Nothing other than what I can read about it in my little journal, or several journals," Boza said. "One for everyday, one for like big events like deaths and big things that I don't want to read about every day. And one for woodworking, all my instructions how to do things what I've made, all that."
His detailed notes and step by step instructions help him build with items he wants to repeat piece-by-piece.
He says his wife calls his shop his little sanctuary.
"Because it's probably the only thing that's familiar to me. So like when I go out, and there's new buildings and stuff, I never recognize it. So this is where I know that everything's where I left it," Boza said.
"I would say, there's my little brain therapy room."
Boza says he's happy to be able to create things for people and also to be giving the pianos a new purpose.
"They're not going into the trash. So I feel good about using a little piece, and putting a little piece of history in everything I make."
If you would like to donate a piano to Boza or if you're interested in his work you can contact him via Facebook.
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