Pulling Plates

[John Ross]

How about scrap vinyl floor covering material. It can be cut, is flexible 
and hard to puncture with an edge.
Then of coarse a piece of carpet material, fuzzy side toward the piano.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "staff" <staff@smithpiano.com>
To: "'Pianotech'" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 7:44 AM
Subject: RE: Pulling Plates


> Hi All,
> How timely, I am building a beam/shelf today which will hold my hoist.
> Same one Tom Cole linked to:
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44006
>
> Also, after seeing Christian Bolduc's cool plate puller clamp, (Pianotek
> Catalog, pg D-35 part #B-GP32) I dispensed with the strap system.
> Engine hoist with hand crank and straps does work of course. But, this
> system saves time and will help prevent plate 'dings' on the inner rim
> as it goes in and out several times.  Anything to simplify the process.
>
>
> Speaking of the inner rim...
> Does anyone have a reuseable system for protecting rim and stretcher
> during rebuilding?
> I envision pieces of leather & sturdy cardboard, in sections that will
> accommodate different piano rims.
>
>
> Best regards,
>
> Brad Smith, RPT
> Smith Piano Services
> 800-964-TUNE (8863) Toll Free
> 603-625-4696 in New Hampshire
> 483 Donald Street
> Bedford, NH 03110
> brad@smithpiano.com
> NEW!! 24/7 Online Appointment Scheduling
> www.smithpiano.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Terry [mailto:terry@farrellpiano.com]
> Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 6:25 AM
> To: Pianotech
> Subject: Re: Pulling Plates
>
>
> You know, now that you mention it, after I had the plate refinished, I
> would first wrap an old (clean) rag around the strut first, and then
> wrap the nylon strap around that. Oops, scrap the nylon thing - I see
> now they are polyester (I'm looking at one). They are 1-inch wide and
> 4-feet long. They have a vertical capacity of 1,600 lbs. They have big
> loops at each end. I purchased them at Wholesale Tool
> http://www.wttool.com/ .
>
> Originally, I used three of these straps only and hooked them into my
> ceiling-mounted chain-fall. I would have to manually try to adjust their
> positions to get an even lift - very less than optimal. After picking up
> some ideas from this list, I am now using two adjustable straps between
> the polyester strap on the plate and the hook of the chain-fall (I use
> the adjustable thing on the two front straps and simply run the rear
> strap full-length directly from the plate to the chain-fall hook - no
> adjustment). The adjustable straps I am using are rather light-duty (I
> seem to recall a breaking strength of around 400 lbs. - arguably
> somewhat marginal strength) and do not have a ratchet, but rather a
> simply thumb-controlled hold-clamp-apparatus (it's actually a thingee) -
> it has never slipped (yeah, I know what you are thinking - me too!).
> Very quick to adjust and easily get a nice even lift. When I see
> something similar, but with higher breaking strength, in a tool store, I
> will pick those up and switch to something with a greater weight rating.
>
> If anyone wishes for a picture, I would be happy to take one and send it
> your way. I've got a plate hanging in mid-air as we speak!
>
> Terry Farrell
>
> www.farrellpiano.com
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "John Musselwhite" <john@musselwhite.com>
> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 1:15 AM
> Subject: RE: Pulling Plates
>
>
>> At 11:19 PM 12/08/04 -0500, Chuck wrote:
>>
>> >I've been wrapping a thick, soft, nylon strap around struts, capo,
>> >etc. for lifting.
>> >
>> >
>> >Where you find this kind of strap Terry? How thick, how wide?
>>
>> One suggestion might be used auto seat belts since you can probably
>> get them for free. I'd still pad them around the plate though. If you
>> don't trust the quick release you could always sew D-rings or
>> something into
> them.
>>
>> As for something other than a rafter or engine hoist to hang your seat
>
>> belts (and chain fall) from to lift out the plate, has anyone ever
>> tried using a modified child's outdoor swing set?  You could probably
>> pick up a well-built old one for next-to-nothing and if you cleaned it
>
>> up, added
> some
>> decent bolts and cut the cross-tube down to the width of a piano it
>> should be plenty strong enough for a plate. If you needed to you could
>
>> even
> sister
>> a couple of 2x4s to reinforce the crossbar and add blocks under the
>> legs
> if
>> it isn't high enough.
>>
>>                  John
>>
>> John Musselwhite, RPT    -     Calgary, Alberta Canada
>> http://www.musselwhite.com  http://canadianpianopage.com/calgary
>> Pianotech IRC chats Tuesday and Thursday nights and Sunday Mornings
>> http://www.bigfoot.com/~kmvander/ircpiano.html
>>
>>
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