PDA

View Full Version : Floating a piano harp...



Wade Lippman
01-13-2013, 4:41 PM
When I bought my house last fall there was a player piano in the basement. I tried to sell it, starting at $1,000 and finally $100, but no one wanted it. Too bad really, the last owner just put $2,000 into fixing it up; but I sure didn't want it.
I tore it apart and sent everything but the harp (the cast iron thing with all the wires running on it) out to the trash. When I bought my new tools I hired a couple guys to move them from my garage to my basement, and I had them carry the harp down to my beach. Piece of luck there, because the day before there was ice on the stairs and they couldn't have done it.
I figure it weighs about 250 pounds and I want to use it as a mooring in the lake.
Still with me?

I am thinking I can ratchet strap a 55 gallon barrel (also in the basement...) to it, drag it into the water, float it out 100' to where I want the mooring, and then cut the straps. With 50 pounds of chain on it, it will weigh about 300 pounds. Steel weighs 15% less in the water, so 255 pounds. A 55 gallon drum is suppose to have 500 pounds of buoyancy (9 pounds per gallon), so it ought to float. Two straps should be secure enough. I haven't quite figured out how to cut the straps without being right on top of it; maybe melting them with a propane torch?
Any serious flaws to this idea?
Any better suggestions?

Chris Walls
01-13-2013, 5:30 PM
Wade
You could wait till the lake freezes and push it out onto the ice and then just wait for spring. Here in the U P they used to take an old car, clean all the fluids out of it and park it on the lake. Have a pool and sell tickets where people would buy a guess as to when it would fall through. Then they would have a wrecker tow it back out of the lake. Usually a fund raiser for high school sports or something like that. ( Your idea would probably work also ! )
Chris

Wade Lippman
01-13-2013, 6:02 PM
I like your idea more, but the water was 42* yesterday, so it probably won't happen this year.

Pat Barry
01-13-2013, 6:22 PM
pretty sure this is illegal here in MN. Is it legal in NY?

Update - The rules were changed in 2002. The legalese seems to say its OK if its temporary and doesn't pose a hazard to others.

gopal sharma
01-16-2013, 1:44 AM
I agree with you. It is illegal in MN.