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Harp Moving – Ramp vs Mechanical Lift

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Home Forums Coffee Break Harp Moving – Ramp vs Mechanical Lift

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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  • #141929
    Wendy Kerner
    Participant

    Hello Harpists –

    I am designing an addition to a house that will connect my harp studio to the garage. I want to be able to get my harp in and out easily, but the garage is about four feet below the level of the house. I am considering putting in a small mechanical lift – a little freight lift – rather than a ramp, as it would be preferable in the configuration. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Do you have one? Have you used one? Otherwise the interior ramp would need to be rather steep with a 25 degree slope or more. Thanks, I appreciate your ideas!

    #142013

    You don’t want a steep ramp. Do you have any friends who are engineers who could come to your house and look over the situation? They might have some creative solutions. Is there room for a ramp that zigzags, to reduce the angle of the slope?

    #142018
    emma-graham
    Participant

    I guess a wheelchair lift might be the sort of thing you are after. Something like this if the picture works!

    http://innovativelifts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/home_decklift.gif

    I had a google and they’re seriously not cheap! I would definitely look into a winding ramp or perhaps a series of long, shallow steps. No problem for a decent trolley with pneumatic wheels.

    #142020
    Tacye
    Participant

    How often will you be taking your harp in and out? Much cheaper than a lift would be a steep ramp and a hand winch, though personally I would probably just go for steps.

    #142048
    Sylvia
    Participant

    Remember someday you won’t be young, and harps get heavier as you age.
    …or you might be recovering from some kind of surgery or illness and not have your full strength.
    Life happens.
    I’d say that if you can afford it, go for the lift.

    #142051
    Alison
    Participant

    I went to a hotel to play on Christmas day once where their lift turned out to be an enclosed lift for disabled persons installed on the exterior of the building. It was Christmas day, cold and whilst I deplored the lift at the time, having expected a normal interior one and after being kept waiting outside locked doors for ages (usual harpy difficulties with hotels/waiters/doors etc) but actually it was just big enough for myself and the harp, was enclosed and had interior controls etc and was installed for 2 floors with a reasonably small footprint, as they say. Better than a dumb waiter !! (a reference to Pinter’s play title) oh and be careful what you ask for !!
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2558461/Rampant-lunacy-Council-pays-40-000-fit-10-level-60m-eyesore-home-disabled-girl-needed-simple-ramp.html

    #142055
    Wendy Kerner
    Participant

    Thanks, everyone! I appreciate your responses. I am hoping I might hear if anyone has installed a small lift in their home. I move the harp a lot, so I want it to be easy!

    #142153
    Christian Frederick
    Participant

    In my last house, I ended up in a situation similar to the photo Emma posted. The carport was about 6 feet below the the house level as the property was built on a slope. Fortunately, there was a place in front of the house that I could add another door to the front porch. So I cut through the cement block, added a header, and put a steel security door in the front that was not very noticeable. I would take the harp out front and wheel it down the driveway to the carport on another level. The only problem was weather, so if I knew I would move the harp, I would keep an eye on The Weather Channel and load accordingly.

    Hope this helps you think outside the box…

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