Pianotech

              To all, 

                      Sorry if this topic may has been discussed many times in the past and I just missed it,  but within the past year, I have had three different incidences in which a leg on a concert grand has folded under the piano or nearly fallen off when being moved. All three instruments where not on spider dollies but have the extra large double wheel brass casters. In two of the incidents, the scews of the leg plate that is in the uderside of the piano loosed up enough to create some play in the leg. This is what contributed to it buckling when going over a theashold or in one case a dampchasser extension chord. The loose screws of course can only be accessed if you remove the leg. In thirty five years of piano work this is my first experience with this. This might be explained by the fact the most of these years I was servicing concert grands on spider dollies. Now I have learned my lesson and plan to check the legs on these pianos each summer. Is this something everyone else has been experiencing with these piano with the extra large brass casters? Also, has it caused the institution to insist on putting the piano on a spider dolly, or have you just inacted a regulare maintenace schedule for checking the legs? Also, any tips on repair proceedures or tips welcome. 

        Sincerely, 

         Russell Schmidt , RPT 

               

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H. Russell Schmidt RPT
Lexington KY
(859) 276-5015
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Considering the value of the piano and the risks involved to the piano, property and people you need to insist that the piano be on a spider dolly. The fact it has wide casters should not make one think it can be moved a long distance. The leg got snagged on the threshold which makes it even more dangerous. I had a Steinway L that was used by a choir and routinely  moved from the side to the middle of the room. Well the choir director went to move it one night and the leg buckled. He yelled for help and several people rushed into the room and they propped it up with heavy books on a metal side chair. I had to do an extensive repair on the leg, rout out wood to fit the current edition of the butter fly leg plates. The mold plates failed because the edges on the plates where all rounded out/worn off.

A spider dolly was ordered the next day 

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James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
(843) 325-4357
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An alternative to a spider dolly would be the Grand Transporter. It rolls under the piano, lifts with hydraulic jacks and moves it with better stability. After setting the piano in place the transporter is removed. The piano sits firmly on the floor and doesn’t bounce. A less expensive option if you have 2 or 3 pianos in the same venue that need spider dollies.
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