[pianotech] upright tilter

[Jim]

Hey
good to know I'm not the only one who had a piano try to escape . .
In this, the only time, the piano started to roll away, and I followed, not 
wanting to have it crash down onto the floor . .  Luckily, I was in a home 
and we waltzed accross the room till we met the sofa, thus cushioning the 
trip, and I learned a lesson.

Also, the owner was somewhere else in the home, and thus I avoided a brused 
ego as well!!

I always hang on to the piano for that last 10 degrees of tilt, to prevent 
other occurancezs . .  I like the strap idea, though,and will try that . 
.through the posts.

Have a fun, safe weekend to all . .

Jim Kinnear
the original  www.pianoguy.com  ( not Scott, the other guy who gives lessons 
by CD  !!! . . next we'll be tuning over the phone !! )



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Keith McGavern" <kam544 at allegiance.tv>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2009 4:07 PM
Subject: [pianotech] upright tilter


Dear Daniel and List,

First, I applaud the recommendations of using of a strap, whether
completely around the piano, or from the back posts. Safety is always
paramount, to property, customer and self.

Having said that, I, personally, do not use straps when tilting
vertical pianos. Let me also admit, I, too, have lost a vertical
piano, ONCE, when the rear wheels touched the floor. It was in a
unversity environment, thank goodness for that.

What I deduced from that experience is this:

1) The toes of the foldable type tilter that I use and was purchased
from Tuners Supply Company, now defunct, in the late '70s' had to be
extended from the original design. Also, you must determine if the
toes reach the bottom board. This is imperative and can only be done
by feeling underneath the piano when the piano tilter is put in place.

2) If the toes are marginally touching the bottom board, there is
adequate reason to believe that if you attempt to tilt the piano in
that circumstance, you are subject to potential disaster, both in
property and personal injury.

3) What I did to circumvent this situation was to use slats, commonly
used to support box spring mattresses, to take up the space that
exists between the toes of the tilter and the bottom of the piano,
thereby causing the entire tilter to be as close as possible to the
piano before attempting the tilt. Having filled up that space with the
slats eliminated the implementation of straps FOR ME.

4) Now, another extremely important consideration in returning the
piano to its upright position is orientating the rear casters. This is
vital to success is putting the piano back upright. Once I have done
this, I simply hold the piano against the tilter for the remainder of
putting it back upright. Mind you, I am not an extremely large person,
nor very strong when I do this. It's all about applying the leverage
in the most correct places.

Once again, I reiterate. The strap idea is conceivably appears to be
the safest approach, but without the safeguards I have mentioned, it
is possible to still have undesirable consequences, both in property
and personal injury.

That space must be eliminated between the toes of the tilter as much
as possible, and the contact with the bottom of the piano and the toes
must be as secure as possible.

Sincerely submitted,

Keith McGavern