Stringing materials estimates (tech)

[Brian Trout]

Hi Ron,

I had to keep track of costs on a particular grand reconditioning a few
years ago that included a restringing.  I calculated every inch of piano
wire, being mindful of wire size and price.  It was a 5' 2" Haines Bros.
grand.  If I remember correctly, the total price (actual cost) of the plain
wire used to restring was $10.72 !  Perhaps that will give you a feeling of
actual costs.  It probably cost me 3 or 4 times that just keeping track of
it, but now I know.

Best of luck,

Brian Trout
Quarryville, Pa.


-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Torrella <torrella@umich.edu>
To: PIANOTECH MAILING LIST <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Monday, May 24, 1999 12:18 PM
Subject: Stringing materials estimates (tech)


>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)
>
>