Moving tools...

[buzzyreed]

So I think I could handle renting a U-Haul and driving a ways to pick up an organ if I purchase it. I don't know if I'd be able to move it up the stairs to my aparmtnet building, then down the stairs to my particular cavelike apartment. How do the professionals do it? When I taught high school I'd used four to five football players to move the TC-3 to the dollies so we could push it to the elevator. I don't know if we'd have been able to move it up and down stairs without the elevator. Surely, the real pros have to move organs up and down stairs and other akward places. So how do you do it? How many undergrads would it take to move a AP 5 up some stairs, then down some stairs to my apartment? How much would one have to pay someone for such a task? I don't think I'm allowed to pay them in beer, by the way...


Just curious. I can't imagien I'm the only one in the world who has ever had to move an organ to such an akward apartment.

any ideas?

I promise I'll stop asking stupid questions soon, or I'll try to make my postings funny again so you won't get so annyoned with me!

buzzy...

[nullogik]

Re: Moving tools...



I'm just about to be involved in moving a TC-3S myself in a number of weeks!</p>

I think the two easiest ways of moving an organ are (along a flat surface):</p>

- Dollies. These are by far the easiest way to move an organ, but you've got make sure that the organ does not exceed the load capacity of the dolly, in which case you might need two. The hardest part of course is getting the thing on to a dolly, five grown men struggled to move my TC-3S a couple of inches along the choir loft the other day!</p>

- Pallet. If you can get a pallet this is my preferred way of moving an organ (make sure you check the load limit on the pallet). Once its on the pallet, you simply use a pallet truck to wheel the organ around (one person can do this very easily). Note a pallet is only really suitable for moving the instrument across flat surfaces and not up slopes.
</p>



Stairs:</p>

This is the problem I have because my TC-3S is currently in an organ loft and the stairs are too narrow and twisting to use.</p>

If you've only got three or four steps and the angle of incline from the top step to the bottom is fairly shallow, you could build a make-shift ramp out of plywood and push it up when its on dollies.</p>

If the stairs are very steep and the organ is very heavy you could consider hiring a "materials lift" (which is what I'm doing) and if possible get the organ through a window into your apartment from the outside:</p>

</p>

Otherwise if neither are possible you'll just need sheer brute force to get it up those stairs. Try and minimise the weight by unscrewing things like the lid and music rack to make the job slightly easier.
</p>

[odellorgans]

Re: Moving tools...

This post may be useful to you.

[nullogik]

Re: Moving tools...

He's shifted more organs that I ever had, so best try his method first!

[odellorgans]

Re: Moving tools...

That is kind of you to say.  It is just what works for us.  True, I have probably moved more than 100 consoles thus far....

[Menschenstimme]

Re: Moving tools...



Hi Ed,</P>


This is slightly off the subject: But even though my current residence organ console is more than adequate, someday I would like a "sexy" upscale drawknob console. The few newer ones that become available are usually in your area of the USA and I am in southern California. What would it cost if I said something like:</P>


"WANTED: A reliable and experienced person to gently and expertly move a beautiful 2-manual draw-knob pipe organ console weighing about 500 pounds directly from New England to southern California without any stops at warehouses or change of vehicles, etc., along the way. You need not hurry; it is the gentility and quality of the move that is important. Console must arrive inside my home in the exact same condition as it left New England, down to the most minute detail."</P>


My ballpark guess is at least $5000 for such amove. Probably another $5000 for a consummate professional to wire it up at this end with connectors, etc.</P>


Oh well . . . I can always dream.</P>


Thank you!</P>


[8-)]</P>

[soubasse32]

Re: Moving tools...



I'm sure Eastern builders (including Mr. Odell) would do a very fine job of shipping and/or building you a console [:)] however if funds are an issue you might look closer to home to save on shipping (maybe).</P>


I think Robert M. Turner would be pretty close to you in Hacienda Heights; unfortunately, I think he has retired (?).</P>


California builder Schoenstein would make you a beautiful console: http://www.schoenstein.com/console.html A bit further north you'll find Martin Pasi: http://www.pasiorgans.com/instruments/opus7.html I don't know if Paul Fritts would only build a console, but he might.</P>


There are a number of other builders on the west coast that might refurbish an old console for you -old consolesare not as hard to find as you might think, and they don't always get listed on eBay. Your local organ tech ought to be able to advise you on this.</P>

[Austin766]

Re: Moving tools...

I think you should go for the tabernacle console for your residence (yeah...right, you really need a five manual Schoenstein console for your residence organ...)[:P]

[odellorgans]

Re: Moving tools...



To answer Menchenstimme:  you might want to look at fine furniture movers.  We prefer to handle our work ourselves but there are some who do it this way. </p>

Interesting that Shoenstein now has a website.  Bethards  always had an open contempt for the use of computers.  He was quite conspicuous about not having  a website or email, even though they had registered the domain name a few years ago.  I  suppose it was only a matter of time.</p>

 I was once on a AIO discussion panel with Louis Patterson, who runs the Shoenstein console shop. </p>

 Bob Turner retired 3 or more years ago and sold his operations to Harris Precision Products in Whittier.  I seriously doubt Fritts would build a console, but Pasi might.  Both are pretty busy.</p>

 Menchenstimme, if you are serious, contact us off list and we can talk. Also, I can point you to some reputable guys who do contract work in your area.</p>

 </p>

[soubasse32]

Re: Moving tools...



[quote user="Austin766"]I think you should go for the tabernacle console for your residence (yeah...right, you really need a five manual Schoenstein console for your residence organ...)[:P][/quote]</P>


Maybe that would be a bit *large*, but I'd take this one inmy home!</P>


</P>

[Menschenstimme]

Re: Moving tools...



Thank you all, especially you, Ed, for your swift input. The console in the picture would be just perfect. I have actually on very rare occasions tripped over ads that read something like this:</P>


FOR SALE: Beautiful, like new, two-manual drawknob pipe organ console. Only ten years old with all the state-of-the-art solid state equipment. Wealthy church is enlarging organ to three manuals and is offering this console for sale for only $7500 which is one-fifth of what such a console would cost new. Perfect vintage legal ivory naturals with ebony sharps and tracker touch keyboards. Pedalboard has jatoba sharpswith maple naturals. Tempered glassmusic rack and adjustable bench with backrest. Drawknobs are from well-known supplier and havescrew-on heads to facilitate easy changing of names to match your organ.</P>


Okay, so I may have embellished a bit. But over the past several years I have seen this happen at least twice thatI canremember. But the console is always 3000 miles away.</P>


I currently have avery nicely refurbished Klann stop-key console with a Peterson Duo-Set combination action. I would just prefer something along the lines of the picture above purely onaesthetic grounds.</P>


Yes, money is an issue, or I would justhand DavidHarris (or whomever) a blank check right now with the proviso that the check may not exceed $100,000.</P>


Oh well . . .</P>


[st]</P>

[buzzyreed]

Re: Moving tools...



[:@]</p>

</p>

Hey, as Virgil Fox might say, "it's all about ME!' back to MY discucssion..</p>

</p>

So no one has said this, which is why I am sure there's a reason it's not done, but could a person such as myself take apart pieces of the organ and make it a managable haul up or down the stairrs?</p>

</p>

How many pieces would and Allen Protege break down too without me doing damage or taking apart something that I shouldn't?</p>

</p>

No hate mail please! [8-|]
</p>

[jbird604]

Re: Moving tools...



Buzzy,</P>


Other than removing the back panel and the top lid (which will require removing several screws and the chain if it has one and the electrical wiring to the music desk), there isn't much you can do to lighten an Allen console. Well, you should also remove the roll top. Those 3 pieces will lighten it by a hundred pounds or so, which should help.</P>


Theoretically, one could remove just about everything inside, as all the assemblies unplug, detach, and can be removed for servicing or replacement. That would be a lot of trouble, and potentially could result in a dead organ when you reassemble, as it's easy to get wires crossed up. I guess it might be OK to remove the amplifier chassis, maybe even the power supply unit, if you observe carefully how the connectors go back on. And be very careful! Take note of how everything is bolted down.</P>


Does this mean you are finally getting an Allen Protege?</P>


John</P>
<P mce_keep="true"></P>

[buzzyreed]

Re: Moving tools...




Does this mean you are finally getting an Allen Protege?</p>


John</p>
<p mce_keep="true"></p>No, not yet, but some time or another one I can afford will come up and I'll be ready [6]

[odellorgans]

Re: Moving tools...



jbird is right, the most you can do is remove the top, back and rolltop. Any dissassebly further than that is not feasible. Most models have handles that slide out of the back of the carcase for lifting.

Temporarily installing skids as I mentioned earlier makes things a breeze, I would strongly suggest it, especially for dealing with stairs.

Menchenstimme, here is our 2m version:</p>

</p>




We are doing a Gothic version with carved rosettes and molding for a church in Newport next year. You can see the drawings for it here</p>