Notes about Moving Pianos By Stephen Willett

This book is written as a training aid. Aficionado
engines should consider the information as reasons for not attempting to piano movements. Basic knowledge of lifting techniques can only encourage serious harm to participants, to you, and above all ... piano.

The piano is not only cumbersome and unwieldy, but has polished surfaces and to protect the vulnerable. Grand pianos have legs that are designed as they are, and must be Jack with tools - only to be moved across a room.
Even upright pianos, which can be very heavy, usually do not have wheels. I wonder what percentage of the pianos have actually moved a complete set of wheels work? ... not many!

Upright Pianos

Some are small and light, while some, especially older pianos, grand pianos are sitting upright. The weight and size of upright pianos can vary from less than 200kgs more than 400kgs.

Every movement has work obstacles: The easiest way is lit, the steps, and gradients, but these obstacles can become real challenges when stairs - especially with tight turns are involved.
A piano can be easily carried up the stairs with the right equipment.
A series of straight stairs can be overcome with no more than a length and a strip chart ... Heavy slippery plastic sheet can help.

But often, there will be an inconvenience to turn on the stairs, and this may require that the piano is turned up to 90 degrees to your side.

Ideally, use a piano skid. It's like a sledge to which the piano can be strapped. The slide not only provides a running surface to slide, but through which the holes for fastening the strapping. A piano at 45 degrees on the stairs offers almost no points to pull up, but with a patina of strapping items to the center of gravity - in the center of the runner - can help two men pulling and pushing a low pull of both a piano up the stairs and to a maximum angle to turn a tight corner.
When carefully tied closely to skate with ratchet straps will be in total control and confidence that the piano does not fall backwards.

When the stairs are straight, a skid allows 2 people to do the work of three ... A piano will slide up (or down) with the ease of control and security ... But keep in mind that I built with my skates sliding nylon shoe!

Grand and Baby Grand Pianos.
You will need:

1) A piano of shoes with two,

A piano is a wooden shoe made in different lengths to accommodate different sizes of piano. Have filling the holes of the strap and straps to ensure that the piano, and provide a surface to move.

2) A car piano

3) Adequate strapping,

4) Adequate protection wraps,

5) A rubber mallet and screwdriver.

If using a moving truck is required to work inside the room and a good wall with strapping points ... Think of the wheel refers to functions in small vans ... and lack of strapping points.

Management requires a minimum of two (strong) or three good men ... and that if things easy.

If you are moving a large grand piano or baby:
The piece should be cut flat on the long straight part.

The process can begin by removing the cap ... If the top overhangs the straight side of the piano, the piano of the weight of broken screws from the top of its threads. You also reduce weight by removing the cover and the piece easier to handle. It will also be possible to run a strap through the flat side of the piano and the round of truck and skid for safe movement.

The lid should be appropriate then wrapped in blankets or covered.

With the lid removed, the size of a piano of shoes is tied to the left (right) side of the piece, and then, while supporting the weight - preferably with a piano made to present the front of the left leg and the lyre (pedal assembly) is removed (in some mechanisms of tires may be needed to enhance and support the left by 6 inches, to abandon the lira). That fact, the piece can be reduced or kneeling on. It's like an elephant on its knees ... with back, front and right leg still in place.
Piano shoes are constructed so that the front left - the keyboard - is protected. This is the corner that will meet the ground first.

Sometimes a piano is used skid. This is like a sledge, and placed in the ground so that the flat side of the piano can be downloaded in it. Adequate buffer is essential to protect the surface of a fine piano.

What is the difference between a skate and a shoe?

A shoe is an old tool that is tied to one side of a grand piano before it is reduced. It is a wooden frame with holes and damping strap and strapping attached. Its main objective is to protect the polished surface of a straight edge pianos ..

A skid is a bit more general purpose ... For example, it might be useful to move a heavy safe. Vertical or grand piano can be placed and tied to it, and it is probably designed with runners or wheels to allow movement. It may be a metal structure with a padded piece of wood bolted on.
You can slide up and down the stairs.

The runner should be placed in blocks of eight inches deep to reduce the back breaking weight reduction of a (grand) piano right to speak ... This will allow the car (around eight inches in height) that fit easily beneath the skate between the blocks.

Determine the exact angle to put the skid is a matter of experience. Much padding is recommended.

The piano can be moved all the way to sit on the floor in his straight side and the other two legs can be removed.
Makers have their own different ways to get your legs .. Use the mallet to tap into the blocking wedge of wood. If it does not move, take time to look at and think ... The answer is no force, but may be a rotation of 90 degrees.

A feature of the shoes or nonskid strips is that there are some handles to lift it - along with the piano - so the car can be wheeled underneath. The car is an objective piece of equipment. Normally, one would be about 2 feet long by 14 inches wide, strong aluminum frame that incorporates 2 steel shafts (and 4 rubber wheels mounted in total).

The piano must be tied to the shoe / skate and is responsible for.

The piano / shoe car and tenderly should ratchet strapped to the
shoes if no steps or barriers that may separate the two. The tension must be fair to all as a movement, but without exerting unnecessary strain on the piano. In practice, it is best to take the time to take this precaution.

All movements should be carried out with a "hug" ... The team should always connect the shoulders and the weight of the piece at any time to correct any loss of balance before and not after it becomes exaggerated.

Obstacles such as steps or curb stones are always filled with about 2 wheels, and never at an angle.

In the van:
Correa piano with at least one end into the front wall, thus breaking the force does not work on the strip.

Ratchet straps are not recommended on the wall will strip bars ... You can apply enough pressure to damage the wall of the van, and metal parts can scratch a polished surface ...
But very gently used, it is preferable to the fans or ineffective 'knots'. Driver of professional web straps are the right solution, since they are close ties and strong, just and secure ... the pressure of the hand.
There should be no movement at all, since the piano trying to work itself loose in transit.

This article is intended as introductory reading for new staff.
Which in no way equivalent to the instruction to complete the trade of piano moving.