"chain" bench to school piano

[Greg Granoff]

I don't seem to have the original message in my folder, but this whole thing
rings a very loud bell.  We lost so many practice room benches (for
verticals) that the instrument technician and I did exactly what Newton is
describing -- we built simple benches out of good quality cabinet grade 3/4
ply. Nothing but a top, two sides and a generous stringer between the two
sides, all held together with yellow carpenter's glue and wood screws. A
couple coats of clear water based finish and we were done.  Incredibly
sturdy and extremely cheap, we put a hole in the bottom front corner of each
bench, and with a length of metal cable and a couple crimp type clamps, we
attached them to the legs of their respective pianos.  With enough cable
length to move the bench to another part of the practice cubicle if desired,
or put the bench upside down on top of the piano for floor cleaning, etc,
they've been a huge success and after 3 years not a single one is missing.
By the way, in each case, we attached the cable to the leg on the far side
of the cubicle, away from the door, to avoid tangling ones feet on the way
in. About the only maintenance required is occasionally turning the bench
around a couple times to untwist the occasional looping of the cable.
Music stands are another story -- haven't solved that one yet.

Greg Granoff
(still enslaved)
Humboldt State University

Newton Hunt wrote:

> We chained music stands to walls also and the same thing happened.  They
> disappeared.  I had been advocating the department purchase cases of
> portable stands and sell them at cost to the students.  Their
> responsibility and if it disappears _they_ have to replace it.
>
> Benches are a problem everywhere.  My idea was to build boxes of 3/8"
> plywood, 15" x 17" x 19", so they can be rotated to different heights
> and paint them ugly colors.  With a table saw, plywood  )one side good),
> some split 1x2s for cleats and some wood screws and Titebond they will
> be easy and cheap to build AND replace.  It is absolutely astonishing
> how strong these boxes will be.  The theatre scene shop can do this work
> as well.  (I  found many piano benches in theatre spaces.)
>
> I got the ugly color idea from a dance teaching I found spray painting a
> black boombox with bright yellow paint.  I asked him why and he said
> that it will not be stolen.  He was right, five years later I saw it
> being used in a class room.  The unuglified music departmentboomboxes
> disappear on a regular basis, every three to six months.
>
>             Newton
>             retired from university slavery