[pianotech] Securing Pianos to the floor

Jurgen Goering pianoforte at pianofortesupply.com
Wed Mar 11 22:50:09 PDT 2009


> You can buy caster cups from most supply houses, or from Jim Grebe. Just
> screw the caster cups into the floor, and put the piano legs in the cups.  


Not!
Speaking as someone who has been on large and smaller ships in heavy weather, 
I can attest that the last thing you want to worry about in that moment is a 
750 lb grand piano which has jumped over the rim of the caster cups and is 
now creating havoc in the main salon, rolling to and fro, overturning tables,  
smashing into walls and crushing furniture, hopefully vacated furniture...  
If someone believes that a 1/4' or 3/8" lip on a caster cup provides an 
adequate guarantee that the piano will stay  put, I suggest that they have 
never been on a real ship when it encounters real weather, as will be 
unavoidable from time to time.  The operative words are "safety margin".

For this purpose, the cup should be closer to 3/4 or 1" deep.  Better yet: 
remove the caster and bolt a square cup to the floor which snuggly fits the 
piano's legs

Jurgen Goering






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