Stringing materials estimates (tech)

[Roger Jolly]

Hi Ron,
         If you allow for 2lbs to 3lbs of music wire you will be in the
ball park. The cost of the wire is minimal compared to bass strings, tuning
pins, and labour.
It would be a real hassle trying to be exact, the time spent calculating
the amount of wire used, would pay for the wire. Therefore an exercise in
futility.
Regards Roger




At 11:57 AM 5/24/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Let me preface by asking for replies to be copied directly to me since I
>read the list in digest and searching for replies can be tricky.
>
>I wonder if some of you with lots and lots of restringing experience would
>care to explain how, when you're writing up a job estimate, you figure out
>how much string you're going to use in a given wire size. Do you base your
>guess in terms of how many 1# coils you'd use or do you figure by the
>foot, anticipating that 1# and 5# coils have a certain amount of footage
>per reel? Then, when you're figuring materials costs, do you figure a
>specific charge per unison or do you just estimate the footage used and
>charge by the foot?
>
>I've often wondered if one of those foot-counters (like they have in the
>hardware store for measuring out small tubing) would be a worthwhile
>investment to keep tabs on how much wire is actually used.
>
>Owen Jorgensen used to joke that he thought it wouldn't be too
>off-the-wall to charge for the mileage you put on your shoes when
>stringing pianos. On a 9' it can really add up! :-)
>
>Thanks for the replies!
>
>Ron Torrella, RPT
>Piano Technician
>University of Michigan		   "Dese are de conditions dat prevail."
>School of Music						--Jimmy Durante
>734/764-6207 (office/shop)
>734/763-5097 (fax)
>734/572-7663 (home)
>
>
Roger Jolly
Balwin Yamaha Piano Centres.
Saskatoon/Regina.
Canada.