---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment List, Yesterday I encountered a 1960's or so Baldwin "D" which had one=20 of it's plate struts looking rather thin. It seemed to me to be a potential= =20 weak spot. I haven't had the opportunity yet to pull a plate from an=20 instrument that large but this particular one just might experience my=20 ministrations sometime in the future. Are there any special things to=20 consider when pulling plates this large? So far a "cherry picker" has=20 worked just fine on pianos under 6'. As the pianos go larger the plate gets= =20 a bit harder to balance and support properly. I have an air hoist motor=20 that needs rebuilding and some box steel that I could use to make a frame=20 for it. That should cover the lifting part of the job but what about the=20 support? Do you simply double up on the straps or other support means? BTW, some time ago I promised a report on my experience with the=20 Buldoc grand plate puller. Since my shop isn't all that busy (too many=20 tunings) I waited until I had the chance to use it a few times. My advice=20 is don't waste your money. The top bar is weak and bends rather easily=20 which could allow the plate to slide if it became unbalanced. That could be= =20 disastrous. While I've only pulled a few plates to date I found that it was= =20 difficult to find the proper location of the plate to attach it to. I could= =20 get close and then the directions are to tap it around to get to the=20 balance point but it always seems to have been too close to the bolts on=20 either end. Tapping it, in one case, left some marks on the freshly painted= =20 plate which did not make my day either. I believe that I will continue to=20 use it until something about it just irritates me beyond reason but I wish= =20 it worked better than it does. Has anyone ever tried putting some kind of bar stock through the=20 plate holes and then attaching a strap to that? When using the straps I=20 don't really like the fact that the strap hook comes in contact with the=20 painted surface. Actually I'd rather that the strap material didn't either.= =20 Sure would love to see some pics on how others do this. Each one I pull=20 leaves me scratching my head trying to noodle out a better way. Help me out= =20 folks my hairs getting thin enough as it is!! Best, Greg Newell At 02:24 AM 12/8/2004, you wrote: >R.Cromwell said: "While I am familiar with using a hoist attached to steel= =20 >rafters as one >method of removing a plate from a grand piano, has anyone tried using an >engine crane to achieve the same goal? Is it feasible or am I crazy - or >both? > > > >Gazing doubtfully at a poorly supported ancient wooden rafter," > >R.C., >I've used a "cherry picker", (the collapsible type), a couple of times,=20 >when doing work in another techs shop that didn't have a winch, etc.=20 >Worked just fine. They can be rented and are not that difficult to use/set= up. >Best Regards, >Joe Garrett, R.P.T. >Captain, Tool Police >Squares R I Greg Newell Greg's piano Fort=E9 mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net=20 ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/86/a9/b4/ba/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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