[CAUT] spiral staircase...

[Peter]

Anyone tried to get a grand piano up a spiral staircase?
Keyboard or nose first?
Was thinking that straightening the staircase would be easier.
Think I'll get those guys pushing that piano, after a damage evaluation.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 21, 2010, at 12:44 PM, Kent Swafford <kswafford at gmail.com> wrote:

> Arggh. Lead with the keyboard end first so that obstacles will tend  
> to move the lyre back into the lyre support rods. Sorry,
>
> Kent
>
>
> On Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 2:18 PM, Kent Swafford <kswafford at gmail.com>  
> wrote:
> How far is a long distance in this case?
>
> Perhaps I can reinforce what Ron says.
>
> Here at UMKC, the pro theater company borrows pianos at times. I  
> insist that I move the piano by myself. They usually ignore me and  
> gather 5-9 guys around the piano and move it for me. They once moved  
> a D off a 2 inch platform, keyboard first; as they were half-way  
> down the hall, they "didn't do anything; the pedals simply fell  
> off." They had broken the lyre off our #1 piano.
>
> I would suggest that the minimum precaution be to remove the lyre  
> before starting the move. If you cannot remove the lyre, then at  
> least move the piano over thresholds and such _tail-first_, so that  
> you will push the lyre against its support rods if it happens to  
> make contact.
>
> The fewer people pushing, the better; one or two should be  
> sufficient.. Really. Move at about a third the speed you would  
> expect to be appropriate. You cannot steer or brake a fast-moving  
> piano.
>
>
> Kent
>
>
> On Jul 21, 2010, at 12:10 PM, Ron Nossaman wrote:
>
> > reggaepass at aol.com wrote:
> >> In a few days, I will be moving a piano on a stage dolly a long  
> distance with a group of high school piano students.  We are not  
> turning it on its side on a skid board, but simply pushing it.  What  
> collective wisdom should I be to impart to these impressionable  
> youths about how the do-s and don't-s of pushing around pianos?
> >
> > Inadvisable. If there's ANY way not to, don't.
> >
> > If not:
> >
> > Supervise! Someone of legal age needs to be there to fill out the  
> accident report paperwork.
> >
> > Lid down, fall board closed. I know, but it's not necessarily  
> obvious to high school kids, some of whom have likely never thought  
> before.
> >
> > No more than three touching the piano at any given time. Trade off  
> as they get tired, with the rest of the crew over there out of the  
> way. Steering and speed control by mob whim can quickly become the  
> end of piano function as we know it. Also dangerous for the moving  
> units, whether they understand that or not.
> >
> > Walking speed is at least twice as fast as you ought to be going.  
> Enforce it.
> >
> > Approaching thresholds, expansion joints, or any surface  
> discontinuity, they will universally attempt to speed up and jump  
> it. If you could find someone foolish enough to bet against it, you  
> could make some easy money. The problem is that dollies don't jump  
> obstacles. Make them slow down instead. Taze one periodically if  
> necessary.
> >
> > Lyre clearance - lyre clearance - lyre clearance etc.
> >
> > There's more, but I'm starting to get the shakes...
> > Ron N
>
>
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