For what it's worth, my "master plan" was/is, 3 days in the shop, (M-T-W), and 3 days tuning and field service. I started this schedule, some 25 years ago, basically due to the fact that I had two knot-head Sons that liked to get into mischief/trouble/no good. My Wife was working 4 days a week, 10 hour days, (M-T-W-Th). Thursday was the wild card. I started doing my first tuning at 10am in order to have time to check with the School, to make sure my Knotheads made it to 1st period. Most of the time I only scheduled one tuning, so that I could be home when the school bus got here. This seemed to deter the idjits, somewhat, from getting into major trouble. Although, they did persist, they just got sneakier. Today, I have two, reasonably decent Men, that I call my Sons. They had their trials and tribulations, but have turned out pretty well, in spite of their antics. What other Job can afford this? None that I can think of. I continue this regimen and like it. It affords me time to do what needs to be done in the Shop, Office, Errand running, etc., and still have time for my family. (That should be the Prime Requisite, IMO.) As for Refinishing, that is another, (related), Art Form, that I leave for someone else. I recommend against it, unless that's where your heart and body are really into it. Refinishing is really dirty work and needs a special shop set-up to do right. It doesn't belong in a Home Shop situation.....ever. If one uses nitro-cellulose, it is an extreme fire hazard. (I wouldn't want to put my family at that kind of risk!) If you use water based, which I can't stand the look of, it still stinks and takes a lot more skill to do right, from what I've gleaned from my refinishing friends. One of those friends has been doing it his entire life and his body is totally giving up on him! Those fumes from the stripping and such EAT up your bone structure and mess with your grey matter, as well. NOT FOR ME! Years ago, when I first got into this business, I intended to DO IT ALL. I quickly found that that is not possible. I have found my niche and advise others to do the same. For me, Rebuilding/Restoring and resurrecting the dead, is my forte. I gave up Reed Organs, Concert Work, Player Pianos And Dealers! None of which do I care very much for. Never even considered refinishing, since Portland has had many good refinishers to draw from. If you live way out in the "pucker brush" and no Cities close at hand, I suppose you would need to do refinishing. However, I'd consider letting the client worry about that, rather than subject myself to all that goes with refinishing. It is good to know what it takes to do good refininshing. With that knowledge, you could teach someone else to do it and use them a your main refinisher. Win/Win situation, IMHO. Well, so much for my Friday Ramblings. Regards to all, Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon) Captain, Tool Police Squares R I -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20060331/3e584c11/attachment.html
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