CAUT

  • 1.  Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 11:18
    A client is having a valuable piano transported to his studio. The instrument will be in a truck, driving across blazing hot desert all day long (= well over 100 degrees outside, and who knows how hot inside the the trailer).

    The question is this:
    When the piano arrives at his studio, which he normally keeps at 77 degrees, 24/7/365, is there any advantage to having the temperature in the studio higher, "So as not to shock it," and to gradually cool the instrument down (as opposed to just putting it in the 77 degree room)?

    He did ask if he might be overthinking this, and I told him that he probably is.

    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: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 11:46
    Not that I'm an expert, but my advice would be to keep the moving blankets on it for several hours. On the other hand, the moving crew will want to get it on its feet and go away, so, yes, I'd let the room get hot before it arrives, and then gradually cool it down the next day.

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    Susan Kline
    Philomath, Oregon
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  • 3.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 16:18
    I'd worry a lot more about what happens in transit, and put my efforts there. I'd go to extra trouble to wrap with many layers, and isolate the instrument as much as possible from sides and top of the enclosure. I'd also try to make it so that there was some air circulation (outside air replacing inside air), to reduce the build up of heat within the enclosed space. Even a little circulation would make a difference. And I might consider putting some source of cold in there, like a bunch of gallon jugs of water I'd placed in a freezer or the like - in ice chests with the lid open. 

    I assume there is a professional mover involved, so probably not all this is feasible, but you could at least ask for extra blankets, and see whether there is the possibility of a bit of air circulation.

    I'd want it to cool down pretty fast - not instant (might harm the finish), but no need to keep it at an elevated temperature on purpose. I.e, I wouldn't put it in a walk in freezer, but I'd just unwrap it and let it cool in the room.
    Regards,
    Fred Sturm
    "Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it." Brecht





  • 4.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 17:33
    Thanks for the input, Fred. Along the lines of keeping things as cool as possible, I requested that the move be made at night.

    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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  • 5.  RE: Temperature transition

    Posted 07-17-2018 16:49
    Alan,
    A few years ago I had a client in the same situation. I pondered and checked with our colleagues and received numerous responses.
    I finally called the Manager of KeyBoard Carriers out of Elizabethtown ,Kentucky. I took his advice. He said in all the years shipping 1000’s of pianos cross the country in non climate controlled 18 Wheelers, they’ve never had a climate related problem with any instrument.
    I relayed this message to the client and let him make the decision. He followed their advice and was happy.


    Sent from my iPhone




  • 6.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-17-2018 17:26
    Thanks, Thomas. Your words should help assuage my client's concerns, even if those movers were not giving you the straight scoop! After all, in the end, there may not be anything that we can actually get the movers to do differently (and I've never seen a single problem solved by worrying about it).

    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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  • 7.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 16:46
    Hi-

    Aside from other suggestions, the most important thing I can think of is making the trip as quickly as possible- safely.   Do not allow them to transport the long way around for convenience with other routes and jobs. Perhaps you already did that, but that was the source of significant problems we had in transport several years ago. The whole action seized up and was a couple years in full recovery.   Pianos have a pretty good built-in resistance for couple days.   Some movers will easily turn a 2 or 3 day trip into 6 weeks.  

    best,

    Dennis. 






  • 8.  RE: Temperature transition

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-16-2018 17:41
    Hi Dennis,

    Great point about how long it can be between pick-up and delivery. We have arranged that this will be a non-stop trip. A piano being traded-in will then be loaded into the truck for the return trip (although the conditions of that trip are the concern of the dealer, not us).

    Alan

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