Pianos regularly make movers annual list of products that are most regularly damaged. Grand pianos are especially troublesome. Practicing the following procedures for dismantling, cushioning and packing grand pianos will avoid damage, lower claims cost, and enhance client fulfillment.
1) At least three individuals are needed to deal with a baby grand piano. If the infant grand piano requires to go up or down stairs or if a complete or show grand piano requires to be transported, a minimum of four individuals are needed.
2) Constantly complete a accurate and comprehensive stock. It might be essential or more suitable to use a visual inventory to sufficiently explain and show pre-existing damage.
3) As different parts are dismantled, please location all hardware in a properly labeled parts bag and then place the parts bag in a "Components Box".
4) Get rid of the music rack (lyre) from its track by pulling it towards the keyboard. Wrap it in a tidy furnishings pad.
5) Detach the cover by getting rid of the hinge pins. Have a single person wiggle the lid, holding it opposite the hinge, while a second person works the pin loose. Please be careful not to damage the wood with the pliers or with the pin itself. Cover the jaws of the pliers with a little fabric to help prevent damage to the wood if essential. Wrap the cover in a tidy furnishings pad.
6) Remove the prop that holds the lid open and cover it in a clean furniture pad. The prop has a hinge pin and remains in two pieces.
7) Remove the pedal assembly and wrap it in a clean furnishings pad. The braces at the rear of the assembly rest in slots at each end. When getting rid of the screws, please take care not to drop the braces. In addition, please be particularly mindful with the push-rods so that they will not get bent. As you face the piano, number the push-rods from left to right as "1", "2", and "3", by placing a piece of masking tape with the suitable number on each rod. Note: If masking tape is not available, please usage correctly identified parts bags for this function. When reassembling at destination, please make sure to put the rods in the correct order so that the pedals will work appropriately.
8) Pad the piano by positioning a clean rolled furniture pad (stretch-wrap the pad to prevent it from unrolling) on the cover of the keyboard to prevent it from flopping open while you handle the piano. Note: Please ensure that the surface area of the piano is dust-free before padding it.
9) Position a piano board and attach the straps so that it is prepared to receive the piano. The raised brace on the piano board should be at the keyboard end of the piano.
10) Remove the left front leg by placing a single person below the piano at the left end of the keyboard. The other two individuals need to support the left front corner. The individual beneath the piano must turn the retaining block so that the long end points far from the leg. The screws, if there are any, ought to then be removed. The "beneath" person should then extricate the piano before in fact eliminating the leg. Be sure to have 2 individuals lifting the corner of the piano while the third individual removes the leg. Keep in mind: Please be sure to keep in mind which legs were removed from which positions given that some pianos have legs that are not interchangeable.
11) Place the piano on the piano board by lowering the "leg-less" end onto the board. Please be sure to lift the entire piano slightly while completing this maneuver to avoid excessive pressure on the staying, attached legs as the piano tips. Be sure that the piano is centered comfortably versus the brace at the end of the piano find this board.
12) Eliminate the two remaining legs and cover them in tidy furnishings pads. These legs are kept in location by a "essential and slot" arrangement. To remove the leg, slide it inward towards the center of the piano till it comes out of the slot.
13) Secure the piano to the piano board by bringing the ends of the straps together and attaching them. Place folded burlap pads over the furniture pads however under the straps to offer additional defense to the edges of the piano. To prevent the strap near the narrow end of the piano from slipping off, tie the loose ends of the 2 straps together.
14) To move the piano over a flat, level surface, tilt the piano and piano board and location a four-wheel dolly under the center of the piano board.
15) To move the piano up or down stairs, utilize the piano board as a skid. After sufficiently padding the stairs for protection versus residence damage, position the keyboard end of the piano toward the bottom of the stairs. Connect a hump strap to the leading end of the piano board to avoid the piano from slipping.
16) To pack the piano, leave it on the piano board and place it in a tier as the very first base item with the keyboard dealing with the wall of the preceding tier. The very best location to load the padded cover is between the piano and the preceding tier or between the piano and the wall.
Although grand pianos represent a significant obstacle, they can be moved without damage by utilizing common sense and practicing the treatments noted above.