Pianotech

  • 1.  locking casters for Yamaha CF III S

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-03-2018 19:03
    Good People,

    We have two double casters on our Yamaha CF III S concert grand that USED to be able to lock, but the locks no longer work (having been "overwhelmed," apparently by people pushing the piano with the brakes on). Each new caster costs over $500.00!

    So, two questions:

    1) Has anyone been able to successfully repair the brake on one of these? (I have not, nor has Greg Frank at Yamaha Piano Service.) The caster itself is fine. If you know how to fix this, I would love to find out.

    2) Does anyone have any of these casters laying around (I know it's a long long shot, but, "Desperate times..."). I would like to be able to lock the wheels between now and the four to six weeks when the new casters arrive. If you've got 'em, let$ talk.

    Thanks,

    Alan

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    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
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  • 2.  RE: locking casters for Yamaha CF III S

    Member
    Posted 05-04-2018 10:59
    send me some pictures please and explain where the position of the lock should be up or down . have you jacked up the piano and taken a leg off to attempt freeing them

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    James Kelly
    Pawleys Island SC
    843-325-4357
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: locking casters for Yamaha CF III S

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-04-2018 12:28
      |   view attached
    Teri,

    Yes, of course, the interim measures you mentioned are being taken, Thanks for chiming in!


    Kevin,

    No, I have not yet done as you suggest, but will at the next opportunity.


    James,

    Photo attached. Not sure what you mean by, "...where the position of the lock should be up or down." The problem is not that the caster isn't free, but that the brakes don't work.

    Alan

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    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: locking casters for Yamaha CF III S

    Member
    Posted 05-04-2018 13:40
    i have to go out shortly but i am wondering if you could take one of the legs off which may involve lots of jacks/workhorses etc  or even getting the piano onto a skidboard so you have access to all of them . from there go to a good machine shop. i was thinking they locked with an up and down brake but these look like large knobs. moving them locked may have worn down the material at the end of the knob or some other mechanism . maybe they work like car brakes inside with some form of pad material . 500 a pop ?

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    James Kelly
    Pawleys Island SC
    843-325-4357
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: locking casters for Yamaha CF III S

    Posted 05-08-2018 19:07
    Has the caster stem been bent ? Or is the caster stem about to flop out of its mortice? The "yoke" of the caster is not parallel to the floor.

    You probably know this, but here are two comments:

    1) those brakes on those casters are of a somewhat poor design

    2) more grand pianos get damaged by uneducated people trying to move them than anything else. (Yes, you need to know a few things before you begin moving a $100,000 piano!)
    You need a school policy regarding who is allowed and who is not allowed to move pianos. Big fat signs on the pianos if that is what is needed to avoid damage such as this (and worse)

    If there is ever a budget for upgrading the casters, you know who to call...

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    Jurgen Goering
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: locking casters for Yamaha CF III S

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-17-2023 19:10

    Hi Jurgen,  This goes back a few years but many techs including me seem to be confronted with this problem of locking casters that no longer lock.  Since you used to sell these casters, can you provide information leading to the manufacturer so I could try to find out from them how to fix the problem?  Much appreciated if you can, and I hope you're enjoying retirement.

    best regards,

    Larry Lobel



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    Larry Lobel RPT
    San Francisco chapter
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: locking casters for Yamaha CF III S

    Posted 07-18-2023 19:08

    Hi Larry,

    There are different manufacturers and styles of stage casters.  I am not familiar with the ins and out of all of them.  I don't know if Yamaha makes their own piano hardware such as casters or if they buy the casters from a metal fabricator.  I know that some designs are simpler than others, and possibly more prone to failure over time, especially if not treated well.

    In the end, it is all "gear" that is prone to wear are tear, and eventual replacement.   $500 for a caster on a $150,000 piano sounds like a lot, but it probably compares favorably to the cost of a wheel for a $150,000 sports car....



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    Jurgen Goering
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: locking casters for Yamaha CF III S

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-18-2023 21:03
    HI Jurgen,

    Thanks for replying. Agreed, it’s a reasonable expense for a concert grand and we’ll do it if necessary, but I wanted to exhaust all other possibilities first.

    Cheers,

    Larry.


    Original Message