Zorba's "Secret" Piano Page
The Pie-Anna!
Shimming the Casters
13 November 2011
Warning: This is a VERY dangerous job. Do NOT attempt this yourself unless you know what you are doing AND accept all responsibility for any and all risks associated therewith! The accepted practice in the piano service industry is to lay the instrument on its back, preferably with a piano tilter - not jack it up as done here. In order to do the job as depicted here, you MUST make your own jack in order to very carefully lift the piano a small amount at a time. The piano was NOT particularly stable the entire time it was on the blocks nor was it stable when lifting it with the modified jack! In addition, it was necessary to place additional weight on the jack (i.e. hold it down) as it wanted to lever up from the weight of the piano.
The author assumes NO responsibility or liability for the use or misuse of the information below.
PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.
New caster socket with screws from original casters.
Original (left) and replacement screws.
Shim for caster socket.
In place on caster with wooden bushing.
Was able to photograph the routed out hole for caster.
As seen previously, new caster hitting bottom of piano.
New screw heads were too large...
So I countersunk their holes in the caster socket.
Caster socket in place with new screws.
Ended up using 2 shims per caster.
Now the caster doesn't hit the bottom...
A closer shot of the modified hydraulic jack in action. VERY DANGEROUS.
Warning: This is a VERY dangerous job. Do NOT attempt this yourself unless you know what you are doing AND accept all responsibility for any and all risks associated therewith! The accepted practice in the piano service industry is to lay the instrument on its back, preferably with a piano tilter - not jack it up as done here. In order to do the job as depicted here, you MUST make your own jack in order to very carefully lift the piano a small amount at a time. The piano was NOT particularly stable the entire time it was on the blocks nor was it stable when lifting it with the modified jack! In addition, it was necessary to place additional weight on the jack (i.e. hold it down) as it wanted to lever up from the weight of the piano.
The author assumes NO responsibility or liability for the use or misuse of the information presented here.
PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Have you gotten the point that the way I did this is VERY DANGEROUS?
Go back and read the above sentence, and the above warnings again, please.
As noted in the last installment, I had to re-do the casters as they were hitting the bottom of the piano and thus were not able to turn. I actually did it again - TWICE. I manufactured shims from washers - one shim wasn't enough, so I had to make another set and double them up. Now the tops of the casters just clear the bottom of the piano. This also had the net effect of raising the piano up about 1/8" higher than before.
I was actually able to photograph the caster sockets and the holes they went into - this time. My "good" camera wouldn't fit at all, but much to my surprise, an old point and shoot Olympus D-360L was able to both fit, and take a good picture once I set it to its closeup setting. Kudos to the Olympus!
Now the piano moves easily and smoothly! I'm also out of excuses and must start the action work I've been talking about for at least 2 years...
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