Foote-truck, (was Van)

[A440A@aol.com]

Susan asks: 

>Could you tell me the brand of your German handtruck, and where I might buy
>it?

     It is a Braucke brand.  I don't know where you may find one, but it is
worth every penny of the $120 I paid for it.  It is very light, the wheels
fold in as well as the handle.  When folded, it measures about 24"X18"X 1
1/2",  and when I go through the "Dr. Calagary's Cabinet" routine of opening
it up, it has never failed to impress the customers. 
    In my youth, I thought nothing of carrying a large grand action down
flights of steps, out to the car, etc.  Now, I have found that the most
graceful way of carrying is also the easiest on my back and shoulders.  I
would encourage all techs that do a lot of action transport to study their
ergonomics.  It is a sad, sad day when you try to amortize the cost of spinal
disc repair over the hundreds of actions that perhaps contributed to the
problem, so see if you can't refine the movements to a smooth, even, flow.  
     There is the initial lift out of the piano, of course, but even then, it
helps to avoid ever bending over the action to lift. 
   I remove a grand action by pulling it out until the back rail is just short
of the front of the keybed, then elevating the keys until the action is
vertical. Watch out for the drop screws, they like to dig into the stretcher.
>From there, it is easy to keep your back straight as you stand and lift the
action off the piano.  One step back and you can lower the bass end to the
floor, from whence it is a piece of cake to slip the waiting dolly underneath
and voila!,  you have wheels on the action! 
     Also,  I have for years been in the habit of spinning the action around
inside the action cavity if I need to do on-the-spot regulations or repair,
using the keybed as a work bench with the keys up under the pinblock. If there
is room, this can be done without ever having to lift more than half the
weight of the action.  Anybody else do this? 
Regards, 
Ed Foote
(P.S. ,  I will be off-list for the next month, as I take my lovely wife and
two testosterone-poisoned sons to Seattle in a motorhome on the "Big American
West" tour. Watch out WallyWorld, Chevy Chase ain't got nothing on us!!!!)
(:)}}}