Allan,
You are right about this technique for placing the dolly under a grand
piano. I have used the same technique for years and just put a similar
description into our chapter newsletter last month. However, I would suggest
that you do the front two legs first, as you suggested, and then not put a block
under the rear leg. As it is the last leg anyway, you don't need to place a
block under it. Also, since having the dolly be able lift a little
when you lift the front legs (one at a time) will make it easier to remove the
front blocks.
For the fun of it, here is the way my approach (yours and mine and who
knows how many others) went into our newsletter last month:
How to install a Grand Piano dolly with only one person:
1) Put dolly together and measure the distance between floor and the
bottom of the dolly where the piano legs will be placed. This distance is about
the thickness of a 2X4. Cut three blocks of this thickness to about one foot
lengths. (This is probably best done before leaving your shop!)
2) At the piano, reassemble the dolly and spread the dolly legs out so
that they are approximately the same spacing as the piano legs. Leave the bolts
just loose enough that you will be able to adjust the positions of the dolly
legs. Then place the dolly under the piano and next to the legs.
3) Using a dummy 3rd leg, about two inches longer than e floor to the bo
ttom of the keybed (about 26S high), raise up the treble leg and slide the dummy
leg under the front of the keybed with your foot. The piano leg is now well up
in the air. Remove the caster from the leg. (This may well require you to
remove the leg to safely remove the caster.) With the caster removed reinstall
the leg onto the piano. Make sure it is secure!
4)Push the dolly under the leg which is up in the air. Slide one of the
cut blocks of wood under the dolly directly under the leg. It should fill the
gap between the dolly and the floor.
5) Lift the piano corner and slide the dummy leg out with your foot.
Set the piano leg down in the dolly leg cup. The piano and dolly should now be
secure at this leg because it is resting on the wooden block.
6) Repeat steps 3 - 5 on the bass end, keybed leg.
7) The tail leg is done similarly to the other two with these two
exceptions:
a) Depending upon the design of the piano, you may or may not be
able to raise the tail high enough with just the dummy leg and
still be able to remove the leg to remove the caster. If this is the case, then
put the dummy leg under the rim of the piano, lift the tail of the piano, and
place the third piece of wood you cut between the top of the dummy leg and the
rim of the piano.
b) You will not need to place a board under this dolly leg since
the first two legs are already held down by the weight of the
piano. So after the caster is removed and the leg reinstalled, just place the
piano down on the dolly.
8) Carefully make any adjustments in the positioning of the dolly
legs.(This will probably require you to kick the metal parts into position.
Just use caution!) Tighten all dolly bolts securely.
9) Lifting each of the front legs, one at a time, kick the wooden
support block out from under the dolly.
Note: If you donUt feel strong enough to lift the piano by hand, you can lift
with either a scissors or hydraulic jack supported on a very strong box. Then
set the piano on the dummy leg.
Well, Allan, I see that my format didn't transfer too well, but hopefully the
content is there. See, great(?) minds think similarly!
Ed Hilbert, RPT
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