Tilting on the lyre

[David ilvedson]

Dennis,

I have not dead lifted a piano/skid in 20 years.  I always tip the 
piano over onto the skid which is on the dolly with a block of 
some sort as Frank mentions.  This indeed is as stable a 
platform as the skid on the floor.  You only need to be sure 
that the dolly favors the tail of the skid (not the keyboard butt 
end) otherwise the skid can tip keyboard side up and slide the 
tail/nose of piano forcing you to push and slide the piano back 
up the skid.  What is there to be worried about?  When we tip 
we don't heave and let go do we?  As you tip the piano over it 
comes to rest on the edge of the piano on the skid.  It won't 
go anywhere unless you continue to push it over on its side.  
Someone on the other side can help keep it from tipping but it 
isn't going to tip once it is on the long flat side.  It naturally 
stops just as it would if the board was on the floor.  You have 
to wrestle it to perfectly align it on the skid either way.  You 
have two legs with which to control the piano also.  Once you 
try this you will never go back to dead lifting the skid/piano to 
install the dolly.  Oh and don't forget you set it back up the 
exact same way.  Don't take it off the dolly!  Align if on the 
skid as you normally would and tip it back on its two legs.  At 
this point unless you are using the lyre you will have to do 
some lifting to get the bass leg on.  What I wanted to find out 
about is this piano horse and if it would work with the skid on 
the dolly and I still don't know if it will...

David Ilvedson, RPT



From:           	"Frank Weston" <klavier@annap.infi.net>
To:             	<pianotech@ptg.org>
Subject:        	Re: Tilting on the lyre
Date sent:      	Wed, 2 Jun 1999 11:07:35 -0400
Send reply to:  	pianotech@ptg.org

> If you make a small box, the same height as your dolly (usually about 8"),
> and position this box under the keyboard end of the skid with the dolly in
> the normal position, it is very easy to tilt the piano directly onto the
> skid which sits on the dolly.  The box will make the whole arrangement
> stable, and serves as a good place to store your moving tools.
> 
> Frank Weston
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DGH9442@AOL.COM <DGH9442@AOL.COM>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: Wednesday, June 02, 1999 10:20 AM
> Subject: Re: Tilting on the lyre
> 
> 
> >David:
> >
> >In as far as I know, the skid board is NOT on the dolly prior to tilting
> the
> >piano down onto the skid board.  Perhaps some very skilled movers are
> capable
> >of this maneuver, but I have never tried it.  Seems precarious to me.  I
> >insert the dolly after the piano is on the skid board.  The skid board is
> >tilted up from the tail end and held up (finding the point of balance helps
> >greatly) while the dolly is inserted at the balance point by a helper.  Of
> >course, the piano is strapped to the board at this time.  Most skid boards
> >will have grab straps on the sides (some are rope straps, some strap
> >material) allowing this maneuver.
> >
> >Dennis Heshman
> >Hershman Piano Service
> >
> 
> 


David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA
ilvey@jps.net