Making a Steinway: bending the rimThis image appears in the gallery: How do you make a piano? We go behind the scenes at Steinway to find out... 4. Making a Steinway: bending the rimAt the factory in Hamburg, a technician oversees the bending of the rim for a new piano. 18 maple layers, each 22-feet long, are used to create the shape of the rim. The layers are coated with glue and stacked then made into a single form of wood with this rim-bending press.