Shopping for wheels at Bunnings.
And so… we get to the DIY aspect of the venture (I say that like every part of this trip isn’t DIY… but this part involves actual nails and stuff. So stand back). The question: how do you make a piano road worthy?
Enter Hughie, armed with some furniture-moving wheels from Bunnings and ½ a clue. He should really be the one writing this blog but in his absence I will narrate the process based on texts and photographs. First thing he did was rip a massive hole in his hand with a screw driver.
Next thing he did was bring in the professionals.
Neighbour Glen helped screw the cross-country wheels to the bottom of the piano. There were wheels on it previously but these were only suitable for sliding across parquet diningroom floors. These new ones were an astonishing, lurid blue. Next the pair constructed a ramp up to the trailer, so that Hughie wouldn’t have to heft the up piano on one shoulder and throw it in.
The piece d’ resistance however was the boat winch, with its steel cable threaded through the front of the trailer to attach to the front of the piano and reel it in like a… well… boat.
This addition was somewhat scorned by Glen, who thought we would “manage without”. We may well manage without . Or we might be bogged on some sandy beach with the tide rolling in and licking at the pedals.
You just can't know.