Well I got tired of that "pick up the tail end of the piano" stuff, which means lift the piano board/piano up so you can roll a dolly under, long ago. When I worked with ProPiano long ago we did the following... #1...Moving board is positioned on the dolly before the piano is tipped. #2...Block of whatever is positioned under the butt end of the board so it doesn't move down with the weight of the piano. #3...Lyre removed, then bass leg and piano is lowered onto butt end of board. The right spot is just inside the board rail. #4...Now simply tip the piano over onto the board. I don't mean give it a heave and step back. I mean tip it with control and it will end up on its side, on the board, on the dolly with NO PROBLEM! #5...Position it on the board by sliding this way and that so the lid overlap is up against the board and the bass cheekblock/key slip is up against the board's butt. #6...Strap it up and guess what you don't have to dead lift the end of the piano/board to install the dolly... David ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA > From: Wimblees@AOL.COM > Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1998 23:10:23 EST > To: pianotech@ptg.org > Subject: Re: Grand Moving > Reply-to: pianotech@ptg.org > In a message dated 98-11-15 22:35:31 EST, you write: > > << List: > > Would appreciate any suggestions on the moving of a grand. We have the > dollie and the > > piano skid. We have moved verticals before but never a grand. What steps > would you > > take to get it on the dollie/skid safely. > > Thanks in advance. > > Arthur >> > > > Moving a grand piano on a skid board is actually easier than moving a vertical > piano. > To put the grand on the skid board, remove the lyre, and loosen the bass end > leg. Pick up the bass end and have someone remove the leg, then lower the bass > end corner of the piano onto the skid board. Then tip the rest of the piano > onto the skid board. After you have straighten it out, put on some blankets, > and strap it down. Pick up the tail end of the piano and put the dolly under > the skid. From there you're on your own as far as putting on a truck or > trailer or moving into the new location. > > To put the piano back on its own legs, reverse the above procedure. The > hardest part will be picking up the bass end of the piano to put on the third > leg. For this you do need a strong back. Some movers put the lyre on the > piano before tipping the piano on the two legs. If you put a folded up blanket > under the lyre, the piano will tilt high enough for you to put the third leg > on without having to hold it up. I never do this, though, because I would > rather strain my back a little than repair a crushed lyre. > > Willem Blees > > > David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA ilvey@jps.net
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