[pianotech] Avoiding injury lifting out grand a piano action

[David Ilvedson]

A lot of work can be done by just pulling the action out an into your lap.  Keep the balance rail as close to the keybed edge as possible.   Also you can swing the action around in the action cavity to work on the back side.   Carefully done so you don't catch hammers on the stretcher.   When I pull an action, I let it rest on my thighs above the knees and walk it to where I want it.   The thighs take a lot of the weight.   Awkward?   Yes, but effective.   You can also hold in the middle of the stack at brackets if you have the finger strength...

If you turn the action around in the action cavity, you can then grab onto the stack with one hand, fingers coming over towards the jacks, and carry it like piece of firewood against your thigh, if you get my description?


David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: <rsfinley at charter.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 2/17/2010 12:51:36 PM
Subject: [pianotech] Avoiding injury lifting out grand a piano action


>I am curious to know what you do to avoid back problems and other injuries to your 
>arms and shoulders when you lift out a grand piano action for servicing, repairs and 
>regulation. I took the action out of my Yamaha grand last weekend and it was very 
>heavy and awkward to lift. 

>My arms were outstretched widely apart to hold it at the ends, and I couldn't bend 
>my legs much when lifting it out due to the height above the floor. In the past I have 
>had back trouble and tennis elbow tendonitis in my left arm, and I want to prevent 
>re-injuring myself at all costs. 

>Do you have any solutions? I guess that at a customer's house you can't ask them to 
>help you lift it out and have to do it yourself unless you have an assistant there with 
>you. Is there any contraption you can use such as a strong trolley with adjustable 
>height, so you can make it the same height off the floor as the key bed, move it 
>next to the piano and just slide it on without having to lift it across the room to a 
>table?

>Thanks for your advice, 

>Robert