removing a plate by myself

[Mark Bolsius]

Hi Wim,

Sorry this is too late for you, but it may be of some use in the future to
you and others. I'm not on the pianotech list anymore....I don't have the
time to read that sort of volume of mail anymore.

I too faced the dilemma of removing a plate by myself, I ended up initially
hiring an engine hoist (I now own one - an el cheapo Chinese job, but for
the occasional lift it's great!). These are a free standing arrangement with
a u or y shaped base and a single arm fitted with a hydraulic jack that
raises the arm.

I bought a reasonable length of strapping that rock climbers and the like
use (rated up to 400kg) and I tie that onto the plate and the lifting
hookfrom at least 3-4 places, pad the rim so that the rising plate won't
score it, and away you go!

The hoist has wheels on it, so I can either lift, and you then wheel away
the piano and lower the plate onto saw horses, or wheel away the hoist and
then do the same - depending on floor space etc.

I've done something similar to what you did, but found it all a bit
challenging for my back, so went back to the engine hoist when the time came
to refit that plate.

Cheers
Mark Bolsius
Piano Technician
Canberra School of Music
Canberra Australia