Plastic elbow dilemma SOLVED!

[harvey]

Thank YOU, JimRPT! I didn't get up on the wrong side this morning, but did
get up too early for the challenges that happened since last checking the mail.

I'll stick by my reply, since it was one of the shortest I've ever done. I
could have made it longer by including additional points regarding proper
diagnosis in the home, "bedside manner", compassion, and so on. ('Heirloom'
and budget restraints in the same message do seem somehow contradictory,
however.)

As some on this list are aware, I came up with a method (and later a class)
that focused on -efficiently- replacing plastic elbows with new wooden
elbows, new wire and buttons. My procedure is not "plug and play", instead
it incorporates inspecting each new part and sizing the pinning on the new
elbows for consistency of function and touch weight. (Okay, touch weight is
relative in a spinet, but it does matter). This procedure is a shop job,
but only because it's more efficient and comfortable that way.

My pricing for this work was (is) quite competitive, considering that, IMO,
I'm improving on original materials -and- workmanship. My prices even
became the focal point of yet another chapter program (by another respected
technician), who used my method as a reference to prove that I was losing
money. Fortunately for me, his analysis (and program) didn't work out as he
expected.

I really do miss elbow jobs, as mentioned before. However, the reason I
miss them is not because I refuse to do them, or because I charge to much,
etc. Instead, I enjoy both the work and the improved results in the piano.
I suppose they've all been corrected around here, since I've yet to
encounter the phenomenon since moving from California. 

My last job like this was for a dentist. Although there was no concern
about 'heirlooms', he like anyone else did not want to spend money
unnecessarily. I pulled the lower panel, showed him the parts involved,
went through the entire early plastics story, then explained that more
parts would likely break during the tuning process.

To illustrate (I had temporary plastic replacements), I then played an
unbroken key, and its elbow shattered. The client, likely thinking I did
something with mirrors, said "Let me try it." He played yet another key,
that one also shattered with parts flying across the room. He said, "I
wonder just how many of these would break?" I asked for the job THEN, since
I had neither the time, nor enough replacement elbows with me.

I replaced the lower panel (for easier cleanup), and invited him to "test"
all the keys. I had to stop him on #87 because I wanted an intact sample
for reference. All the other keys were in "parade rest" by that time. In
this case, the client "broke" his own piano, but had fun in the process.
Since he was having so much fun, I permitted him to clean up the bottom
board using his own vacuum cleaner.

I'm not arrogant, disdainful, despotic, pretentious, pompous, or
condescending by nature --  but play the parts well as required.

Jim Harvey, RPT



At 09:39 AM 10/19/99 -0400, you wrote:
>In a message dated 10/19/1999 9:15:12 AM, ANRPiano@AOL.COM writes:
>
><< Bill,
>
>I couldn't have said it any better.
>
>I have rebuilt plenty of S&S as well as European pianos, but I also enjoy 
>working on pianos of lesser pedigree.  It is more challenging of course.  It 
>takes more skill and understanding to make a piano of poorer quality play 
>well than it does to make a high end piano play well. >> Andrew 
>
>Did I just get up on the wrong side this morning or 
>have I missed something here? :-)
>Suffice it to say that I disagree with both your comment and implication here 
>Andrew.
> Jim Bryant (FL)