On Sat, 31 Aug 2019 11:14:06 +0100, ARW wrote:

All in all, its damned hard work and they are *HEAVY*!

F**KING HEAVY.

So basically it's going to be a ******* of a job then?

Without the right tool and some thought about any routes through
doors etc, yes.

I like a challenge.

But with the right tool it becomes a lot easier. The right tool is a
*very strong* single axle dolly about 15" long and 12" wide with
large (6") soft (pnumatic), with the tops of the wheels below the top
surface of the dolly and inside the 12" width. The one I've seen was
made from nothing smaller than 3 x 2.

Lift one end of piano, slide dolly underneath as near central as
possible lower piano onto dolly and it'll be a POP to move and rotate
in it's own diagonal width. The large wheels enable small level
variations to be negociated. Single steps over an inch or so will
require some form of ramp, this might just be a rectanglura bit of
wood laid large dimesion down next to the obstical to reduce the size
of each required vertical lift.

With a good dolly getting the ******* thing into the van is like to
be the hard bit. A ramp to be shallow enough to push the piano up on
the dolly is going to require so seriously chucky bits of timber and
still need supporting and don't forget the van suspension will "give"
quite a bit when the weight gets applied.

Picking it up and getting one end in and onto old carpet (backing
side up) to slide in might be possible with four blokes. Personally
I'd have a word with one of the local farmers and get them to come
round with a front loader and some strong strops. Strops under each
end, prevented from sliding to the midle some how, front loader picks
it up and gets one end into van on the old carper, then blokes shove
it in as the front loader slowly lowers.

--
Cheers
Dave.