RicB, As a less expensive solution could you use the padded adjustable stools? I found them to be sturdy, easy to repair. If the screw mechanism became loose I took them to the art dept. for welding. Also kept an extra screw set for quick fix. Jansen seems to be the best quality. Joel On Dec 10, 2004, at 1:50 AM, Richard Brekne wrote: > David Ilvedson wrote: > >> One important aspect of service is to tighten all bench hardware >> every so often. That will prolong the life of a bench. >> >> David I. >> >> >> > Yes, and of course we know this. But the University envioronment is > just plain to rough on benches and one simply can not continuously > tighten screws on all the benches we have (some 60 all told). They get > checked with each tuning, and by the time the next check is made > things have loosened up again. The wear and tear curve is just plain > too steep. > > So... we are faced with either buying very very expensive benches > (which is out of the question), looking for an alternative, or simply > changing over to non adjustable seats of some sort or another. > > Cheers > RicB > >> >>> We at the University of Bergen are just about ready to replace 30 >>> adjustable benches and are leaning heavily towards the Japanese >>> adjustable chair type instead of benches. The adjustment mechanism >>> seems very simple and durable, and they do not cost more then some >>> of the mid-range to less expensive benches. Our experience at the >>> conservatory here is that benches generally last about 6 months >>> before they are creaking, squeeking, and making all manner of >>> noises. The amount of service required to keep them quiet becomes >>> quickly too time consuming for our purposes. >>> >> >> >>> Your suggestion then intriques and I would like to know more before >>> we go further. Would you have any pictures or diagrams to show >>> exactly what your solution is ? >>> >> >> >>> Cheers >>> RicB >>> >> >> >>> Elwood Doss wrote: >>> >> >> >>>> While this piano bench thread is active, let me tell you about our >>>> practice room piano benches. We purchased new Baldwin Studio pianos >>>> for our practice rooms—please, no comments about the quality of the >>>> pianos—about 5 years ago and year before last the custodian for our >>>> building started bringing broken benches into my shop. I do check >>>> the tightness of the bolts on a regular basis—snug, but not too >>>> tight--but the students began bending the bracket that the leg >>>> screw tightens on. After about 3 had shown up in the shop, the >>>> Chair asked me to look into purchasing new benches to replace them. >>>> I suggested benches with stretchers on them—they were about twice >>>> the cost of the regular type of benches. When they came in I took a >>>> look at the stretchers and thought, “I can do that to the broken >>>> benches here in my shop.” Sure enough, I designed one, used very >>>> dense wood from Africa, some good wood screws and glue and went to >>>> work. It worked so well, my work study students ended up >>>> retrofitting stretchers on all the practice room pianos. They have >>>> held up beautifully, and no custodian meeting me at the door >>>> holding a bench with a crooked leg! >>>> >>>> Now I’m sure all of you old heads do this all the time, but it was >>>> an idea that paid dividends and saved the Department several >>>> thousand dollars in new bench costs! No, I didn’t get the surplus >>>> as check bonus! >>>> >>>> Joy! >>>> >>>> Elwood >>>> >>>> Elwood Doss, Jr. M.M.E.; RPT >>>> >>>> Piano Technician/Technical Director >>>> >>>> Department of Music >>>> >>>> 145 Fine Arts Building >>>> >>>> The University of Tennessee at Martin >>>> >>>> Martin, TN 38238 >>>> >>>> 731/881-1852 >>>> >>>> >> >> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > Joel & Connie Jones 9 Springwood Circle Madison, WI 53717-1227 608 833 1488 fax 608 833 6724
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