Cruise pianos anchoring

[Brian Lawson]

In a recent film I saw "The legend of 1900" about a pianist who lived on a
cruise liner, in one scene the pianist had the piano unlocked from the floor
during a storm, it swung around the ballroom, with stool, while he played
and then.....well you'll have to watch the film.

Brian Lawson, RPT
Johannesburg, South Africa



----- Original Message -----
From: <CCLPianos@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, August 07, 2000 8:59 PM
Subject: Cruise pianos anchoring


> As a veteran "cruise ship" guy. I have seen various anchoring systems. One
is
> a simple turnbuckle system where one side attaches to the underside of the
> piano (grand)  and the other to the deck.  The castors have been removed
and
> replaced by a flat pedestal. Tighten the turnbuckle to "fix" in place. The
> other involves removing the castors and inserting the pedestal into the
leg
> cavity, which then is bolted to the deck.
>
> As to the stresses on the leg plates, this has yet to be a problem caused
by
> routine ship movement. Unless of course it has become dislodged from the
> bracing. Then it becomes a 750 lb missle. That I've seen. But then it is
more
> a matter of replacing the legs and plates. Yamaha pianos have the bolt
> system, the best in my opinion. Especially when it comes to moving and
> replacing the legs. I've seen many leg systems damaged by movers not
> replacing them in the proper order. Yama's are an idiot proof system.
>
> Pat in Denver
> In a message dated 8/7/00 7:21:40 AM, owner-pianotech-digest@ptg.org
writes:
>
> <<
> Susan Kline wrote:
> >
> > It seems to me that any anchoring system is only as good as the leg
plates.
> > Has anyone checked cruise pianos to see if the legs are also reinforced
> > at the top end?
>
> I think that the posts on this thread described the legs being braced in
> some way. Or maybe the undersides of the pianos were tethered to
> attachment points on the floor - no leg bracing necessary.
>
> > I remember that the Loma Prieta earthquake near San Francisco
> > broke some leg plates.
>
> Many grand piano owners think that they should dive under their
> stout-legged Steinway in the event of a temblor. Loma Prieta proved
> otherwise. I'm still replacing leg plates from that quake.
>
> Tom
>
> ps: We never did get an explanation of the (non-$cientology) comment
> appended to the title. Kristinn, was that you? I'm not objecting, just
> curious. :-) >>
>