Hi Paul: I posted a reply some time ago about a method of installing a piano truck, but since the archives are incognito, I will do my best to give my answer again. I use three car jacks and 3 large blocks of wood, roughly 12" x 12" pieces gotten from ye local lumbar supplier. I already had these, because I use them to set the piano on in the shop when I am stringing or doing damper work, to make it easier for my back. I already had the one jack from my car, and went to the local auto parts store and bought two more for $20 a pop. They are each rated for 3500 lbs. So they are more than adequate for even the Baldwin 9' SD-10 that I was putting the piano truck on at the church. I didn't want to enlist the services of the 80 year old janitor, or hire my piano movers for $200 or so. Quite simply, you position the 3 blocks on the floor, set the jacks on them with additional shim blocks if needed, and slowly scissor the piano up to a sufficient height. You can go back and forth to maintain a reasonable level until you are at sufficient height. It took me all of 20 minutes to position the blocks and jack the piano up. I needed to remove the legs to do other work on them. I took all three back to the shop and left the piano sitting on the jacks overnight. Came back the next day, installed them without the concert double casters. I set up the truck, working to position the three plates under the legs. What is really nice is that I was able to slowly and evenly lower the legs to where they were almost weight loading the truck plates, do final micro-positioning, and then tighten everything up. Then final lower the piano until it was fully on the truck, again going back and forth to bring it down evenly. All this with absolutely no stress or risk to anyone, including me. It's very safe and easy, and you don't have to use movers. Best $40 bucks I ever spent. Will Truitt From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of bobdavis88 at aol.com Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2009 1:33 AM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Grand Piano Truck instalation Wim says: After the truck has been installed go around and tighten all the bolts. I like one refinement to this: as the third arm goes under,fully tighten its set screw and its bolt at the edge of the center panel. Then take the weight off the other two legs in turn as you tighten their screw and bolt, finishing with the center bolt. Taking the weight off the arms as they are tightened seems to get even more sag out of the truck. Don't forget to take sockets and power screwdrivers for Japanese and other pianos which don't have popout casters - you'll need to take off each leg in turn and unscrew the casters. I agree that the wood blocks make it possible to do any size piano alone. Bob Davis -----Original Message----- From: wimblees at aol.com To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 8:33 pm Subject: Re: [pianotech] Grand Piano Truck instalation Paul There have been several posts on this in the past. but briefly. Get 2 blocks of 2x4 about 4 inches long. You will also need a jack, or Susan Graham's jack box. (available from Jansen) Be sure to read the directions on how to assemble the truck. Once you've got the truck assembled, and under the piano, lift up the bass end leg with the jack, and remove the caster. Position the arm under the leg, and push one of the 2x4 under the arm. Slowly release the jack. Go to the tremble end leg, and repeat the previous procedure. Go to the back leg, jack it up, remove the caster, and put the back arm under the back leg. Release the jack, and you're in business. When you install the truck, be sure the bolts on the center disc are tight. Loose enough to be able to rotate the arms, but they need to be tight, especially the one in the middle. If you don't get them tight, the truck will bow in the middle, and the bolts under the leg caps will scrape on the ground. After the truck has been installed go around and tighten all the bolts. good luck Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT Piano Tuner/Technician Mililani, Oahu, HI 808-349-2943 Author of: The Business of Piano Tuning available from Potter Press www.pianotuning.com -----Original Message----- From: pgmilkie at juno.com <pgmilkie at juno.com> To: Pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 5:54 pm Subject: [pianotech] Grand Piano Truck instalation Just received an email asking if I could install a grand piano truck on a church piano. I emailed back requesting name of piano and length of the grand. After 33 years of tuning I have not installed a grand piano truck. After removing the casters and extending the adjustable arms on the piano truck, which leg should I start with? Thank you in advance for guiding me. Paul Milkie ____________________________________________________________ Get the perfect student credit card by clicking now! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/PnY6rw1e0xZ6CXmlzSxAkQRPeO79t3lL AMT0BKtRoIoYFwIfcLFVg/ _____ A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! <http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1216817552x1201106465/aol?redir=htt p://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=82%26bcd=Dec emailfooterNO82> _____ Get instant access to the latest & most popular FREE games while you browse with the Games Toolbar - Download <http://toolbar.aol.com/games/download.html?ncid=emlweusdown00000023> Now! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech_ptg.org/attachments/20090120/2a640042/attachment-0001.html>
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