removing lids on performance pianos

[Joel A. Jones]

Rob,
At Wisconsin it was a _ l o n  g _  argument.  Everyone wanted to remove
the pins as you are describing.  This stopped when someone lifted  the lid
after a removal and the hinge pins had not been replaced.   Nobody broke a
leg - foot etc, but the lid hit the floor with a convincing thud.
	Now I break off the end of the pin so it is a straight pin in the
hinge.  Nothing  they can grab for removal.  I punch the pin out with a
hammer and center punch.  This also means that I know about lid removals.
And it also means that we charge extra for removal.   I pick my help.
Recruit 3 people who can store the lid in a safe place with plenty of
covers.
	Yes, it becomes a 'me too' phenomenon.
Joel

	>Howdy...
>
>Here at the university we have two primary concert pianos- a new
>Steinway D, and a Baldwin SD-10, about ten years old.
>
>For some reason there has become an increasing popularity here regarding
>removing the lids of the grands entirely for performances. It started
>with a few performances with two grands nested together, (not uncommon
>for the front piano in such situations). But then a few performers
>wanted to try removing it for solo performances. Even the orchestra
>decided to give it a go recently. It would appear that once people found
>out that the lid was removable everyone now wants to try it. I fear the
>trend may have become permenant in spite of my protests.
>
>I am concerned about repeated lid removal, as this has caused stress on
>the hinges, lost hinge/bent pins, scratches on the lid, etc. If this is
>going to become a popular practice, what solutions might there be to
>make removal faster with less structural stress? Has anyone delt with
>this problem before?
>
>I thought about drilling out the hinge holes a bit oversized and
>inserting a costom pin- perhaps a pin with a hole drilled through the
>end with a removable cottor pin. Maybe even a small cable attached so
>that the pins don't become lost. Any thoughts?
>
>Rob Goodale, RPT
>Northern Arizona University


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Joel A. Jones                           jajones2@facstaff.wisc.edu
UW-Madison                           http://uwpianos.music.wisc.edu/
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