<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"> <style>  </style>  </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> PW,<o:p></o:p> Better make sure all your moving customers have very high ceilings over their stairs.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Greg Newell<o:p></o:p> Greg's Piano Forté<o:p></o:p> www.gregspianoforte.com<o:p></o:p> 216-226-3791 (office)<o:p></o:p> 216-470-8634 (mobile)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul T Williams Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 9:53 AM To: College and University Technicians Subject: Re: [CAUT] The Piano Horse<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> I want one of those Holzter "track-O" movers!  Way cool and back saving up and down stairs, trucks, etc.  Probably spendy, though... pw <o:p></o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;margin-left:.5in'> <tr> <td width="40%" valign=top style='width:40.02%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Ken Zahringer <ZahringerK@missouri.edu> Sent by: caut-bounces@ptg.org <o:p></o:p> 01/11/2008 08:30 AM <o:p></o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellpadding=0> <tr> <td valign=top style='background:white;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Please respond to College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org><o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="59%" valign=top style='width:59.04%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> To<o:p></o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org> <o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> cc<o:p></o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Subject<o:p></o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Re: [CAUT] The Piano Horse<o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> </table> <o:p> </o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <tt>Yes, I've got one, and YES it is absolutely worth it.  I floated the idea to</tt> <tt>the director a couple of years ago after we got a bill for around $1200 for</tt> <tt>a round trip move on a weekend for our jazz festival.  They were quite</tt> <tt>receptive.</tt> <tt>BUT-- Don't just buy the horse.  The old school way is still way too much</tt> <tt>work.  Here's the system I put together: I have the Piano Horse.  We also</tt> <tt>bought the Grand Chariot that Gordon talked about</tt> <tt>http://www.premiermovingequipment.com/  It's fantastic.  Why tip a piano all</tt> <tt>the way down to the floor, then lift it up again onto a dolly?  One problem,</tt> <tt>though: the Horse is designed to tip a piano onto a skid on the floor.  If</tt> <tt>you're tipping onto a Chariot, the whole side of the piano is on the</tt> <tt>platform, and the Horse is out of the picture, when the piano is at about a</tt> <tt>45 degree angle, and you just have to heave it up the rest of the way.  SO,</tt> <tt>I built a ramp for the Horse to ride up to the Chariot height (picture</tt> <tt>attached).   The length of the ramp is based on the curve length of the</tt> <tt>Horse, so it sets the piano down 3-4" past the edge of the Chariot platform.</tt> <tt>I can send you dimensions if you want (it's in a closet at the other end of</tt> <tt>the building).  I also built my own jack-in-the-box, or rather</tt> <tt>jack-on-a-post.  I screwed a bunch of 2X4s together to make a post, screwed</tt> <tt>on plywood top and bottom caps, and attached a bottle jack (picture also</tt> <tt>attached).  For pads and a bag for legs and lyre, check out Holzter Moving</tt> <tt>Gear http://www.holzter.com/ They've got some neat stuff.</tt> <tt>Our Wind Ensemble has a Steinway M that they use in the percussion section</tt> <tt>at all concerts.  Rehearsal room and concert hall are three blocks apart</tt> <tt>(naturally!).  I pack up the piano by myself for every concert, and it's no</tt> <tt>big deal.  I just have one of the students help me roll it up the ramp into</tt> <tt>the truck (with the rest of the percussion equipment, etc, that is moved for</tt> <tt>every concert).  If we have to move a concert grand, I get two student</tt> <tt>helpers.  We've been using this rig for two years now, and it has already</tt> <tt>paid for itself, and then some.  Figure this: a normal move used to cost</tt> <tt>$200-$250 each way.  Wind Ensemble has three concerts per semester.  That's</tt> <tt>$2500-3000 in moving costs each year, not counting any other moves.  All the</tt> <tt>gear I bought, including pads, straps, etc, was just under $1500.  It works</tt> <tt>for us.</tt> <tt>Regards,</tt> <tt>Ken Z.</tt> <tt>I'm 50, but I'm in denial :-)</tt> <tt>On 1/10/08 1:23 PM, "Douglas Wood" <dew2@u.washington.edu> wrote:</tt> <tt>> Are any of you using Jansen's Piano Horse for moving grands around</tt> <tt>> you facility? We are currently hiring outside movers, and I'm</tt> <tt>> wondering if it would be worth purchasing one.</tt> <tt>> </tt> <tt>> Doug Wood</tt> <tt>-- </tt> <tt>Ken Zahringer, RPT</tt> <tt>Piano Technician</tt> <tt>MU School of Music</tt> <tt>297 Fine Arts</tt> <tt>882-1202</tt> <tt>cell 489-7529</tt> <o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>