Grand Caster Replacement

[Tom Driscoll]

Steve,
    Sounds like an interesting piano. I don't recall seeing this "leg" arrangement---Images available?
    I will wait for our master rebuilders on list to advise but I will make a few related  suggestions.
    Include in your bid the services of a professional piano mover to both tip and setup the piano .
    A well intentioned but inexperienced crew of mainenence people is a recipe for disaster.
    I picture around six people too many all talking at once without the proper equipment and look out !
    Impress the powers that be in writing as to the value of the piano with warnings of potential damage . The last thing  he or she will want is to take the  blame after an accident.
    Another possibility is to jack up the piano one leg at a time , devise a prop to safely hold up the piano and repair one leg at a time. 
    Better yet use that nifty device we saw at Rochester to lift the piano off the ground and make your repair. Maybe the aforementioned piano mover will have one.
    http://www.pljansen.com/serv09.htm
    Best of luck,
    Tom Driscoll RPT
     
  Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 12:06 AM
  Subject: Grand Caster Replacement



  Hey Now,

  I have a project that I am going to attempt a bid on. I'm searching for advise.

  I take care of a somewhat unique Steinway C #281753 on board the Queen Mary in Long Beach. The uniqueness is that is part of the ships original equipment built in 1936. The piano is in not too good of shape but it does play.

  The crew broke off two casters while moving it after New Years Eve.

  First the casters currently on the piano hardly seem adequate for a piano this large. I suspect that someone has replaced them already at least once. Honestly the wheels on there now don't seem to be meant for a piano. But I could be wrong. Second, it has an unusual arrangement wherein there are pedestals (for lack of a better description), on either side of the key bed instead of legs. Each pedestal has two wheels, on the tail is a large pedestal with three wheels or casters on it.

  I searched the archives with not much luck other than one post recommending Darnell double wheels.

  Any advise on how to go about doing this job, recommended resources, what type of wheels/casters to use. I'll be looking through my catalogs and books tonight.

  Any help would be greatly appreciated. If I get the job (they are considering letting their own maintenance crew do it), I will have some help laying the piano on its side. After that I'm on my own.

  Steve

  Pura Vida   

  Steve Blasyak
  atuneforyou at earthlink.net
  EarthLink Revolves Around You.

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