Hi Wim, Sorry this is too late for you, but it may be of some use in the future to you and others. I'm not on the pianotech list anymore....I don't have the time to read that sort of volume of mail anymore. I too faced the dilemma of removing a plate by myself, I ended up initially hiring an engine hoist (I now own one - an el cheapo Chinese job, but for the occasional lift it's great!). These are a free standing arrangement with a u or y shaped base and a single arm fitted with a hydraulic jack that raises the arm. I bought a reasonable length of strapping that rock climbers and the like use (rated up to 400kg) and I tie that onto the plate and the lifting hookfrom at least 3-4 places, pad the rim so that the rising plate won't score it, and away you go! The hoist has wheels on it, so I can either lift, and you then wheel away the piano and lower the plate onto saw horses, or wheel away the hoist and then do the same - depending on floor space etc. I've done something similar to what you did, but found it all a bit challenging for my back, so went back to the engine hoist when the time came to refit that plate. Cheers Mark Bolsius Piano Technician Canberra School of Music Canberra Australia
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