Piano dolly

[Michael Magness]

On 9/1/07, David M. Porritt <dporritt at smu.edu> wrote:
>
>  On P22s I've found it easier to just lift one end of the piano onto one
> dolly, position it put the screws in the back, then lift the other end on
> the dolly and do the same.  If you really want to put the bolts through the
> bottom board you have to tip it, but I've put a lot of dollies on by myself
> with the only screws in the back.
>
>
>
> dp
>
>
>
> ____________________
>
> David M. Porritt, RPT
>
> dporritt at smu.edu
>
> From Michael Magness on 8/28/2007
>
> I have found the holes in the back to be next to worthless without bolting
> through the bottom as well. The lag bolts used in the holes in the back work
> loose and you then have a problem. I've always bolted the back holes first
> to hold the dollies in position. I then tip it, WITH HELP, since the tipper
> won't work as well with the dollies on the piano. I'm 6'4" and weigh close
> to 300 lbs. so I'm not kidding when I say you'll need help! I then use 2" x
> 5/16 grade 5 bolts after drilling holes through the bottom board. I use a
> large flat washer about 1/2" size, with a smaller flat washer 5/16" to keep
> the nut from pulling through, a lock washer then the nut. I do this on both
> dollies and you'll have a permanent installation! The large washer is to
> disperse the pressure of the bolt/dolly over a larger area so it doesn't
> pull out easily.
>
> I have installed about a dozen of these sets of dollies and have always
> followed this procedure after seeing the sloppy job done by school
> custodians who are given the job. When I had someone my size to help, I
> stood the pianos on end, it worked much better than tipping on the back with
> a tipper but I realize that's not for everyone! <grin>
>
**
*A Tutorial for those who assume bolting dollies to the back of pianos is
enough!!*
**
*I assumed the bolting of the dollies to the back of the pianos only was the
sloppy work of the janitors or those who didn't know better, not those who
should! *
*Lagbolts or large screws run into the back of the piano as the only
fasteners for the dollies will come loose due to 2 differing factors. The
first being humidity changes, even in hardwood, a screw or lag will loosen
when holding metal to wood when the humidity changes severely as it
inevetibly will in an institutional setting(where else would dollies be
required?) . Secondly the lateral strain applied to the lagbolts/screws by
the dollies, remember the piano will be pushed not the dollies so when the
dollies meet an obstacle, a threshold, a carpet, debris, a doorway, these
dollies are like outriggers extending from the back of the piano a good 6 to
8 inches and catch on doorways, chairs, risers, and other obstructions. When
this happens the dolly will stop but the weight of the piano(inertia)will
cause it to move slightly on the dolly tearing the wood fibers and pulling
the lagbolt/woodscrew loose. However a bolt through the bottom board,
usually not just a board but a piece of laminate, with a good sized washer,
smaller washer, lock washer and nut tightened well is there to stay*

   ------------------------------
>
> *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] *On
> Behalf Of *Clark Sprague
> *Sent:* Saturday, September 01, 2007 8:02 AM
> *To:* bdornfeld at earthlink.net; Pianotech List
> *Subject:* Re: Piano dolly
>
>
>
> Michelle, What Bruce says is true, AMHIK.  I have a scar on the front of
> my shin, from a P22 that slid down the front of the tipper, and the back
> edge of the lid took a chunk out of my shin-bone.  No-one was around to help
> me put the piano back on it's feet, and I couldn't wait.  A very painful
> lesson.  That piano also landed dead square on the top of my foot (nothing
> broken, but I screamed anyway).  Clark A. Sprague, RPT
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>
> *From:* Bruce Dornfeld <bdornfeld at earthlink.net>
>
> *To:* pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
>
> *Sent:* Friday, August 31, 2007 11:10 PM
>
> *Subject:* Piano dolly
>
>
>
>   One thing that was mentioned was that the tipper does not work well with
> dollies on the piano.  If you are installing twin dollies, this is very
> true.  You can tip the piano back and get the dollies on, but then you have
> trouble.  Before tipping your Yamaha console back down to the floor, the
> back of the dollies will hit the floor.  If you are lucky and strong, you
> may get the piano to stand up.  If not, the piano may slip off of the
> tipper, land flat on its back and shove the tipper onto you.    One lady in
> our chapter broke her ankle when a piano slipped off of a tipper.  *If you
> have to do it solo, with a tipper, strap the piano to the tipper near the
> bottom and get that strap tight*!
>
>
>
> Your best bet is to get some one there on location to help you.
>
> *As I said on 8/28/2007 when I first answered the question a few hours
after it was posted*

 I then tip it, WITH HELP, since the tipper won't work as well with the
dollies on the piano. I'm 6'4" and weigh close to 300 lbs. so I'm not
kidding when I say you'll need help!

I have installed about a dozen of these sets of dollies and have always
followed this procedure after seeing the sloppy job done by school
custodians who are given the job. When I had someone my size to help, I
stood the pianos on end, it worked much better than tipping on the back with
a tipper but I realize that's not for everyone! <grin>
Mike

-- 
I sit down to the piano regularly at nine-o'clock in the morning and
Mesdames les Muses have learned to be on time for that rendezvous.
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com <http://www.ifixpianos.com/>
email mike at ifixpianos.com
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