[CAUT] Office square footage

[Zeno Wood]

Hi Henry,

Thanks for your input.  It sounds like you're more cramped than I am!

My predecessor also did little more than tune and some creative maintenance,
so I think that some of my requests seem odd to the powers that be, but
they've been happy with my action rebuilding and restringing so I think
they're willing to listen.  The tough part is that the pot of money for the
new building seems to get smaller and smaller, or so we're told.

Thanks again,
Zeno


On Tue, Aug 18, 2009 at 2:52 PM, Dr. Henry Nicolaides
<drsnic4 at hotmail.com>wrote:

>  Hi Zeno,
>
> I am fortunate to have a space 16x20 feet in the basement of our new music
> building.  The space is adequate but cramped.  I have benches, drill press,
> radial arm saw, belt sander, air compressor, and free standing storage
> around three walls.  The wall that in on the entry side has a 24x24x18 inch
> deep stainless sink.  I have a workbench in the far end that will hold a
> grand action with room to spare for parts and tools.  Presently, I have a M
> & H "A" in the middle for new pin block and restringing.  That is about the
> largest piano that I could have in here and this is hard to work around at
> times.  I also have a free standing engine hoist that "folds up" to only
> take about 24" square.  I do have a storage area for skids, extra benches,
> covers, and etc.  This area is only about 6x12 feet.  The shop space has no
> windows.  It has no exhaust vent so if I use spray McLube or the like I get
> complaints from all in this part of the building.  Depending on the type of
> work you need to do, I would certainly try to hold out for 20x24 as minimum
> space.  You also need to make sure if you are going to rebuild that there is
> elevator (in my case) to bring whatever piano to the shop.  I could bring a
> Steinway "B" but not a "D".  There is no place to strip and refinish, and
> that may also be a consideration.  I had to move the M & H off campus this
> summer to do that part of the rebuild.
>
> Before I came last year, there wasn't even a "wheelie cart".  At least
> there was money in the budget then for that.  I only had to grovel a
> little.  I supply my own tools with the exception of the 1960's drill press
> and radial arm saw.  The techs here previously did not do much except tune
> and maintain the pianos.  Now that budget is non existent for replacing
> pianos it is evident that it is far more cost effective to rebuild.  If the
> university has the foresight to build the shop space large enough now it may
> pay them dividends in the foreseeable future.
>
> Good Luck,
>
> Henry Nicolaides
> Piano Technician, SIU School of Music
> Carbondale, Illinois 62901
>
> email: henryn at siu.edu
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:51:28 -0400
> From: zeno.wood at gmail.com
> To: caut at ptg.org
> Subject: [CAUT] Office square footage
>
>
> Hello all,
>
> We're in the planning stage of a new music building, and at this point
> we're looking at blueprints.  The plans seem to change pretty drastically
> every couple of months, as the college deals with cost overruns etc.  The
> piano technician's office is getting smaller and smaller!  I'd like to be
> able to talk about other CAUT's work conditions as I advocate for a little
> more space.
>
> As it is now, I have a small and cramped office, with a workbench, desk,
> file cabinet, small table, metal storage cabinet, and a wheelie cart.  I
> also have some storage space under the stage, and in a little closet on the
> other side of the building.  I can do bench regulation and action rebuilding
> in the office.  I do some restringing, but only over the summer when all the
> students are away and I can work in a classroom/studio.
>
> If you have a similar situation, I'd appreciate hearing how big a space you
> have, and also what sort of light/window/door set up there is.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Zeno Wood
> Brooklyn College
>
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