Sunday, July 20, 2008

The Piano Movers

Every year, Joan's Steinway piano makes a two-mile trip down the road to a small meeting house where it's used in a local benefit piano concert. After two days, it's returned. In New York or Chicago or Los Angeles, these moves would be done by highly trained professionals and would cost several hundred dollars. In New Hampshire, things are different.

Positioning the truck Walter, a veteran of many of these moves, positions his pickup so a ramp can be placed from the tailgate to the porch step.

Aligning the ramp
With a bit of final guidance from the crew, the ramp is set in position.

The gentle descent
With a gentle nudge (and the big guy on the down slope) the piano begins its descent to the porch.

The first turnNegotiating the turn into the kitchen door.

Threading the needle
Lining things up for the big push into the kitchen. Can three big guys fit through this doorway at the same time?

Squeeze play
No.

Getting ready for the flip The tilt The roll The settle
The big moment. Set, tilt, roll and settle.

Attaching the last leg
Attaching the last leg requires trust in your crew.

Final adjustmentsMaking final adjustments.

The piano moversUntil next year.

2 comments:

knitnzu said...

Hmmmm... those guys must not be the sons of the yokels who moved a piano (which was new to us from a fire my dad cleaned) for us in about 1972. It made it all the way to the new house, and when they turned into the driveway the piano lept out of the truck and smashed all over the sidewalk and yard. We found bits of it for years. (I think the yokels were dad's buddies)

Anonymous said...

I see a Clutch Tshirt and a Mark's ShowPlace Tshirt. Your friends are officially my friends.
cheers,
Marty