Piano Tilters

[TunerJeff@aol.com]

Dear List,

David Ilvey Wrote;
   <<  "I have a tilter ...  I have never had a problem with it except losing

the bolts and nuts that hold it together when opened up." >>

David,
     I have the same tilter with the same problem! Amazing! I assume we're
talking about the unit with the angle-iron construction with the 2 small tabs
that catch about 1 1/2" at the bottom of the piano and roll smoothly
backwards on large curved pieces to bring the piano horizontal? Shaped like a
triangle when folded? One-man capable operation? Three dinky wheels, two
fixed & one mounted on ballbearings, that actually work pretty well?
(Oh...suggest you use a small bungee cord to hold the thing together when
folded. Works.)

     Replace the 'nut' with a wingnut & lock-washer. You can spin that puppy
tight enough by finger to keep it in place. You won't need tools, and you can
leave the bolt & wingnut in there when you fold it up. OK?

Safety Tip #3001 & #3002 (Tilters, Piano, Acoustic, Vertical, ...)
1. Before sliding the tilter under the piano, pull it towards you (...you're
at the rear of the piano with tilter at the ready) about 3". This puts the
casters at the best position for leaning the piano over & prevents the
dreaded 'caster-kick' caused when they suddenly decide to shift position
(...by 180-degrees in a heartbeat) due to the changing geometry.

2. Block the bottom of the piano with two 4"-pieces of 2X4" slid in next to
the rear casters before tipping the piano Sometimes they need a shim to fit
well, but they should be a snug fit without lifting the piano. Why? To
prevent the piano from rolling away, bottom first, when you start rotating
the piano onto the tilter. Occasionally, the piano is too high to be caught
immediately by those tiny flanges/dinguses/thingies, and will break loose
across the room. Instead of neatly rolling over on it's back on the
convenient tilt-table, it will abruptly land on the inconvenient ground. Go
ahead, ask me how I know...go ahead!

Thanks for your time,
Jeffrey T. Hickey, RPT
Oregon Coast Piano Services
TunerJeff @ aol.com

ps-
    Local re-finisher uses mine quite often for piano veneer repairs (...and
has learned a lot about pianos. Now calls to have me inspect piano so that
owners don't do $2500.00 in re-finishing BEFORE finding out if the piano is
playable/repairable as an instrument.). No rent. He brings me business from
his customers, and I send work his way.