Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > May 2000 > 2000.05.05 > 05Prev  Next


My First Piano Moving Rig
By Andy Taylor

D.L. Bullock Reminded me of my first Piano moving rig and rebuilding
place, which if I still used, my customers would be horrified.

When I was 16 years old, many people in our area were giving away fine
old uprights, and sometimes a player.   If all the odd places to sell
pianos from, I sold them out of a tobacco barn, and despite this, they
sold well.  My Dad had helped me put in a presentable floor and walls
in part of the barn.

True to my "Hillbilly" appearance at the time, so was my moving rig.
Are you ready for this?  Dad had a John Deere four-wheel flat bed
wagon, and I moved many a piano with that thing. all I had to do is to
place the piano parallel with the wagon, and then slide the piano on the
flatbed - on it's back. We pulled it with an Old Checker Marathon, then
from the house to the barn, we used the tractor.

There was a pickup truck camper shell, that was hinged in the right side
of the wagon with barn hinges. once the piano was in place, and tied,
I lowered the camper shell over the piano. this prevented it from
getting wet if it rained on the way home.

Tobacco Barns have "pull throughs" so it wasn't a problem at all to
unload the pianos inside, even by myself, thinks to a sliding chain
hoist  This may invoke gales of laughter from the professionals, but
I restrung many a piano laying on the bed if that old hay wagon, and I
really miss working outside.

Folks came from miles around to see and buy my rebuilt pianos. A rebuilt
piano with a nice finish and new keytops did look out of place there,
and on damp days, I had to maintain light bulbs in every one of them.
From 1978 to 1984, I repaired around 60-75 units there.

After being used to that Barn, the 12 X 24" space I use seems a little
small, but at least climate control is far better than the "old days"

Andrew Taylor
Tempola Music Rolls


(Message sent Fri 5 May 2000, 19:19:10 GMT, from time zone GMT-0700.)

Key Words in Subject:  First, Moving, My, Piano, Rig

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page