<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2873" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mr. Yankee,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>You pose a heavy question that has a heavy answer. The answer is weight. Perhaps this "administrator" is not aware of the actual weight of the piano models you mention. In the process of moving a grand (other than merely within a single space), the piano must be put on its side and the legs and pedal lyre removed in order to pass through doorways. This involves setting the piano's long side (the bass or left side, from the player's perspective) onto a special board, equipped with straps for securing the instrument. This board is then raised at one end and a small, wheeled dolly is slipped underneath. This permits relatively easy movement thereafter; assuming, of course, that there are not stairs or other obstacles to negotiate. The lifting of the nose end of the piano does for a moment at least require some considerable brute force. Ask your "administrator" if he or she can safely and single-handedly lift about 300 pound from floor to a little above waist level and hold it that high for perhaps ten seconds. This is not the only moment of required power but it is the most crucial. This also necessitates a second person being there to handle the dolly. Most of the rest of the procedure can technically be done by one person; but, that is not advisable. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have known one individual whose sheer brute strength enabled them to move even large grands with confidence and relative ease by themselves. But, that is unusual. A  lone technical not uncommonly has to effect a minor move of a single grand in order to work on it. But, the level of activity you appear to be referrencing with the carpet replacement precludes that. Perhaps at New England Conservatory you have enough piano technicians employed and they are robust enough to do the work. But, if I were one of them, I would insist on the "administrator" posting a personal bond of one million dollars against injury to either an instrument or personnel. On a routine basis, the occasional move to and from the shop could possibly be done by a team of techs, as long as one of them is physically robust enough to do the heavy lift(s).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>IMHO.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Robin Blankenship</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Matoaca, VA</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=BYankee@newenglandconservatory.edu href="mailto:BYankee@newenglandconservatory.edu">Brian Yankee</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, June 02, 2006 12:14 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [CAUT] Piano Techs as Piano Movers?</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006>Greetings.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006>I am the Director of Performance Services at New England Conservatory in Boston. A member of our administration <SPAN class=965071016-02062006>wants</SPAN> to have our Piano Technicians (whom I supervise) move our pianos (mostly a mix of Steinway B's, L's and M's) out of studios, into and out of the piano shop, etc. when the need arises. We have always hired an outside piano mov<SPAN class=965071016-02062006>ing company</SPAN> to do all of our moves except for occasionally rolling an upright piano down a hallway from one room to another.  </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006>What prompted this is a proposal to recarpet and paint seven faculty studios this summer. The proposal included an estimate of the cost to <SPAN class=965071016-02062006>hire our movers to </SPAN>remove the pianos from the rooms, bring them to our piano shop for storage on their sides and then to return them to the studios once the work is done. Needless to say, the piano moving costs are considerable. </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=286342415-01062006><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN class=965071016-02062006>Personally, I think it's inappropriate for piano techs to double as piano movers, but what do I know? </SPAN>I need a reality check<SPAN class=965071016-02062006>:</SPAN> Is this something that piano techs at other colleges and universities do? If not, can you give me some good arguments why they shouldn't? </FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006>Thanks.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006>Brian Yankee</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006>Director of Performance Services</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=286342415-01062006>New England Conservatory</SPAN></FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <P><FONT face=Arial size=2>*******************************************************************</FONT> <BR><I><FONT face=Arial size=2>Brian S. Yankee</FONT></I> <BR><I><FONT face=Arial size=2>Director of Performance Services</FONT></I> <BR><I><FONT face=Arial size=2>New England Conservatory</FONT></I> <BR><I><FONT face=Arial size=2>290 Huntington Ave. </FONT></I><BR><I><FONT face=Arial size=2>Boston, MA 02115</FONT></I> <BR><I><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tel: 617-585-1271</FONT></I> <BR><I><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fax: 617-585-1270</FONT></I> </P> <DIV> </DIV> <P> <HR> <P></P>No virus found in this incoming message.<BR>Checked by AVG Free Edition.<BR>Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.8.1/354 - Release Date: 6/1/2006<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>