[CAUT] Moving Pianos / Knees

[Jim Busby]

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Rob,

=20

We move pianos all the time here at BYU but I'm going to let the young
student workers do most of the work and "supervise" them. Reason?
According to my surgeon the "shock absorbers" built into our joints thin
with age and although we're still strong they tear much easier. I'm
strong as an ox, but the joints aren't.

=20

I just had surgery on my right knee. (Left was done last year.)

=20

Jim Busby BYU

________________________________

From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Rob & Helen Goodale
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 10:31 AM
To: caut@ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] Moving Pianos on Campus

=20

Hello,

Typically I stay in the back ground and just observe the list but I have
worthy inquiry.  I am the staff tech at UNLV, (University of Nevada, Las
Vegas).  We have +/-65 pianos and occasionally a few must be moved
around.  I have one grand and one upright that I keep aside for when
someone needs one for special events.  The upright has a permanent heavy
truck on it for moving around.  For grands I use a method that involves
tilting the piano up onto the skid while it's already on the dolly.  The
dolly is custom made with extra large hard wheels.  Two of the wheels do
not swivel so that it doesn't skip out while lifting.  If it is a
reasonably small grand, (nothing larger than a C-3), then it is
surprisingly simple.  I'm sure there are others who do this.  Anyway to
the point.

=20

=20

After lifting and moving pianos for years my back has just about had it.
Every so often it slips out of place and I find myself in pain for
several days.  Recently I was required to move several pianos in a day
and it just about did me in.  This morning I found myself stiff and
unable to crawl out of bed.  The reality is that I can't continue doing
this.  At age 40 I have a long way to go and I don't fancy ruining my
back for the likes of ungrateful university staff.

=20

I would like to know what other university techs have done regarding
piano moves.  Because of liability reasons they are not too enthusiastic
about getting students to do it.  The facilities management people are
not reliable and can't be trusted to show up on time.  The Faculty is
certainly not interested in getting their hands dirty.  I have
occasionally called in another outside tech but that is not always
possible.  Unfortunately my Jedi skills aren't mastered well enough to
move pianos using "The Force".  So... what do YOU do?

=20

Rob Goodale, RPT

Las Vegas, NV


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