Attaching a heavy digital piano to a wall

[Marcos Scriven]

Hi

This might be a slight odd query, but here goes...

I have a digital piano - it's 140cm long and 35cm deep, and requires a further 5cm clearance at the back for power cables and so forth. I estimate its weight to be between 30-40kg (it's a Roland RD800 with weighted keys in case you're wondering!)

I have a stage stand, but I decided in my not so great wisdom it would look nicer attched to the wall - that way it would give me more floor space, and allow me to fit my legs under more easily.

The solution I have at the moment is three angle brackets about 70cm from the floor, one at each end, and one in the middle . Each bracket is 30cm along the wall, and 40cm sticking out. They are each attached by 3 screws (two right by right-angle, and one at the bottom) of 7cm length with 8mm drill holes+wall plugs. When I drilled the holes, there was about 1-2 cm of plaster, and then the rest was red-brick.

Now I've described my solution, the problem is:

The angle brackets seem very secure at the wall, and there dooesn't seem to be a problem supporting the weight. However, the brackets themselves bend a bit, especially when playing loud cords. I've thought about attaching legs to the ends of the brackets, but I'd prefer to avoid that.

My question is - can you suggest a better solution that a very amateur DIY enthusiast can do? I have available a solid brick wall - is there an easy way to drive in some strong metal supports? It's really important that the keyboard feels solid when I play, so for now I've just put the stand back.

Any ideas welcomed.

Thanks

Marcos

[Andrew Gabriel]

I think you just need stronger brackets -- maybe ones which include a diagonal bracing piece. Maybe you could use a pair of microwave oven wall brackets? They're pretty strong.

[Nick Nelson]

It sounds to me as though the wall, and your fixings to it are perfectly adequate, it's just that the brackets aren't stiff enough.

Try and find some with a built in diagonal bracing, like this:

________________ | / | / | / | / | / |/ | | Nick

[stefek.zaba]

Seconded - Screwfix sell these as "worktop support brackets". But then there will be a support right in the middle of the digipiano if Marcos sticks to the 3 brackets he currently has (one towards each end + 1 in the middle) - not conducive to good playing! Putting these stiffer brackets at the two ends only, leaving the middle one as is, might be OK; also, I'd turn the existing bracket around so the longer arm (40cm) is along the wall, and the shorter (30cm) is under the Roland: less bending force that way, and just as much support.

However, I'd still suggest the "real" solution is to save up for a good Quickloc stand (Turnkey.co.uk sell 'em) - not much change out of a hundred notes (ouch), but they're nice and firm for even a piggin' heavy digipiano (not just for a little synth), and will be ready for gigging when Marco and his band become a sensation on the local pub circuit ;-)

Stefek

[stefek.zaba]

I forgot to add - are the brackets you've used, Marcos, the "London Pattern" stamped-out-from-sheet-metal things (like Screwfix catalogue number 17536)? If so, you'll find them rather less stiff than the mitred pattern they also sell (and which should be available in a d-i-y warehousey place too), like their part number 14870 for the

35x35cm largest size. Pricier, but *much* stiffer in my experience.

HTH - Stefek

[stuart noble]

I think you've answered your own question. Without support it's never going to feel right. My son has a big Korg thing on a kitchen worktop with a couple of chipboard chests of drawers either end. Even then we ended up having to put a 4 sided 6" wide support under the middle of it Just enough room on top for the iMac and all the other music making essentials :-) although for now the printer is perched precariously on two speakers.

[Laurence Payne]

Make a stand from wood or metal designed to give the leg-room you need.

Do you really want to be staring at a wall every time you play?

[PoP]

Stevie Wonder doesn't seem to mind.

PoP