CAUT

  • 1.  piano dolly, piano truck, piano spider

    Member
    Posted 03-28-2019 14:19
    Hello!

    So I had a random thought the other day when installing a piano spider. For those that have them at your schools or in your private clientele, do you ever tighten them up? And if so how often to you check the bolts? 

    I had this thought and then a few days later I was helping a fellow colleague at a university's concert hall and they showed me their 9' (that's on a 25 year old spider) has a gap between the front bottom of the leg and caster cup. (pictures should be attached) Is this seen often? Would a fix be to take the piano off and tighten things up, pivot around the dolly to be on different legs,? Or did it in someway get damaged an a new one is needed to be put on? Or should they be replaced every 25ish years?! 

    Just wondering. Would like to know of others experiences with piano dollies in general too. 

    Thanks!

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    Katrina Sapp
    Arlington VA

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  • 2.  RE: piano dolly, piano truck, piano spider

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-28-2019 14:29
    Hi,

    By the looks of the photo that is probably the way the piano was placed on the dolly 25 years ago.  I doubt it has moved much and I don't think exact centering is critical by any means.  As long as the leg is completely within the cup of the dolly it is safe.  I have had a bolt or two get loose over the years and I would certainly advise checking them now and then and keeping them tight.  But that is rare in my experience.  If they were installed correctly they should not present any problems.

    Chris

    Christopher D. Purdy R.P.T.
    Registered Piano Technician
    School of Music, Ohio University
    Rm. 311, Robt. Glidden Hall
    Athens, OH  45701
    Office (740) 593-4230
    Cell    (740) 590-3842
    fax      (740) 593-1429
    http://www.ohiou.edu/music






  • 3.  RE: piano dolly, piano truck, piano spider

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-29-2019 06:07
    They tend to sag that way: the middle of the truck goes up and ends point downward, supporting only the inner edges or corners of legs.

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    Mario Igrec, RPT
    http://www.pianosinsideout.com
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  • 4.  RE: piano dolly, piano truck, piano spider

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-29-2019 08:49
    The leg should be sitting flat in the cup.  It appears it's touching in the back but not the front, which would indicate that the arm of the spider is angling down toward the leg.  Typically they will bow up in the middle over time.  I would take the weight off and tighten things up to see if the leg sits down properly.  I don't think rearranging the spider will straighten out the problem if the arm is actually bent.  
    --
    Gary Bruce

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