[pianotech] Grand Piano Tilter

[Roger Gable]

Greg,
   There was a story going around this area years ago that a local piano mover tilted a 9' Baldwin on the lyre and damaged the keybed to the point of needing replacement, be I never saw it first hand. I find that story unusual since I've never heard of any similar incident, or even the slightest warpage of a keybed via lyre tilting, although conceptually I see it to be a possibility. Very few pianos are made without a lyre stretcher, which spreads the weight over a broad area. I've used this tilter on my rentals (Yamaha and Steinway) for about 7 years and I've never had any warpage issues with the keybed.  Crawling under the piano is a negative, but keep in mind this tilter is designed so that one person alone can tilt a piano and install the last leg. 
   In about 2 years I plan to have a "dead weight" lifter designed to enable the "one person" concept to be incorporated in the installation of the piano dolly under the skidboard, then I could move these big things until I'm 80 years old. 
Roger Gable
P.S. Sales Pitch: The Gable Tilter is currently only 14.5 lbs. and 32" x 21.5" x 5". Piano Horse is 29 lbs. and 48" x 24" x 7"
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Greg Newell 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 5:34 PM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] Grand Piano Tilter


  I think I saw a picture of this somewhere. It gives me the same pause as tilting down with the pedal lyre itself. That part of the keybed is not designed to carry weight. With the Piano Horse it supports the piano over almost the entire length of the keybed and you don't have to crawl under the piano either. 

   

  Greg Newell

  Greg's Piano Forté

  www.gregspianoforte.com

  216-226-3791 (office)

  216-470-8634 (mobile)

   

  From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Larry Fisher RPT
  Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 5:54 PM
  To: pianotech at ptg.org
  Subject: [pianotech] Grand Piano Tilter

   

  I've seen it, I've tried it, and I'm going to buy one  ..............   when Roger goes to production with it.

   

  It's got a few minor glitches to be dealt with but the basic design is a great idea.  It's bolts to the underside of the piano in the same holes as the lyre  ........   and that's where the glitch is  ....  the distance between holes and the fastener type.  Once it's fastened, the process is safe and easy as ever for MOST grand piano moves.  I tried it out at the PNW Conference in Bellevue, WA and purposely stopped in the middle of the tip to see just how much control I had.  I could ever so gently lower the piano onto the skid using my body weight alone.  Roger weighs about 50 pounds less than I and isn't quite as tall and so if he can use this thing, anyone can.  BTW, if ya really gotta know, I'm about 6 foot at 210 pounds.  

   

  Lar

   

   
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