[pianotech] Upright Tilter

[Kerry]

Where can I get one of the folding tilters nowadays? I had one when I was at
the university and loved it, but I think I got it from Tuners Supply which
is long gone. The non-folding ones are too long for my car.

Kerry Kean
www.ohiopianotuner.com


-----Original Message-----
From: James Johnson [mailto:jhjpiano at sbcglobal.net] 
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 1:43 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Upright Tilter

I find my tilter indispensable.  I have one that folds up and is fairly easy

to carry.  One word of warning.  Be sure you keep the forks solidly biting 
into the bottom of the piano as you set it back into the upright position. 
I get the piano up to the position that the rear casters just begin to touch

the floor, then I push the top of the piano away from the tilter while 
pulling the puller towards me, keeping the forks supporting most of the 
weight until the front casters touch the floor.

Years ago, a good friend of mine didn't follow this procedure and when the 
rear casters contacted the floor, the piano rolled forward off the tilter 
and came crashing down, crushing several bones in his leg.  He missed about 
6 months work because of this little mishap.  Needless to say, since his 
accident I have been extra careful.  A strap around the top of the piano 
tying it to the tilter, as well as one around the bottom, would be a real 
good idea.  It is the bottom of the piano coming off the tilter and rolling 
on the rear casters that is so dangerous.

Good luck,
Jim

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Boyce" <David at piano.plus.com>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 11:25 AM
Subject: [pianotech] Upright Tilter


> I've finally bought an upright piano tilter, or Bench Truck as they're 
> sometimes called in the UK, after promising myself for years.  Not many 
> around - Heckschers had none, and Fletcher & Newman only one left.  It 
> came today. Very nice and sturdy. I'm now gonna find a pretext to put 
> every single customer's piano on its back......
>
> Best regards,
>
> David.
>
>