[CAUT] piano shop inventory

[Fred Sturm]

On 12/10/05 9:56 AM, "Debra Feiger" <debra_feiger@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hi List members
> I am a new Caut user and a new piano tech for a
> university with little to no shop inventory.  The past
> few years they have hired contract technicians and I
> am now a staff technician/employee (50%).  They have
> 80 pianos, with 5 SS Ds,  a number of Bs, and Yamaha
> leased pianos, plus a hord of upright practice room
> pianos (mostly Yamaha).  They have a drill press in
> the shop and that is it.  They have asked me to
> prepare a prioritized list of items to purchase in
> order to have the beginnings of a shop.  I have no
> idea whether I will get much of what I request, but I
> would appreciate input as to how to prioritize what is
> needed for a university environment to get things
> going.  They have an active concert schedule and alot
> of modern experimentaly music, so I know that strings
> are a must.  I have my own tools, but is it reasonable
> to request duplicates for the shop, especially since I
> am only 50% and will be doing outside work as well as
> working for the local Steinway/Yamaha dealer?  Thanks
> for any input.  I need to submit this prioritized
> 'wish list' next week.
> Best
> Debra
> 
Hi Debra,
    I would strongly urge a duplicate set of all your personal toolcase
tools: regulation, voicing, tuning. If you are an employee, your employer
should provide your tools. It took me many years, but I finally got to that
point, and have been delighted ever since - I just go to work, don't have to
lug a big bag, and run out to my far away car to get something out of the
trunk. Have finally been able to bicycle to work. But personal thrills
aside, just having all the basic tools you need, on-site and available, is a
god-send and a time and effort saver. You'll need a case to carry them
around in. 
    Shop tools will depend on what you end up doing. With that kind of load
(which is almost precisely equal to my own, also at 0.5 FTE), you aren't
going to be doing major rebuilding, as in pin blocks and soundboards. At
least I would hope not. Which leaves the things you need for action rebuild,
parts replacement, restring with same block, and what not. A bench vise,
bench buffing wheel/grinder arrangement of some sort, bench disc sander
arrangement, some assorted clamps (C, spring, wood hand-screw, bar or pipe),
pinblock support, drill press vise, drill bits, maybe a surface planer for
drill press (if you plan on doing any keytops), a band saw is wonderful to
have - probably, but not necessarily, more useful than table saw. I guess
shop space is a big consideration as to what big tools you would want to
have and be able to use efficiently.
    Also, you will need cabinets for small parts and supplies (and things to
put in it), stringing tools, hammer tailing jig, hammer boring jig (both
these can be waited on, and hammers bought pre-bored and tailed), key
bushing equipment (cauls, steam source, glue pot) and supplies (assorted
thicknesses of quality cloth), general supplies (rubber buttons, screws,
assorted felts, keybed felts, leather for various purposes, the gamut),
lubes (Protek, Mclube, powdered teflon, etc), adhesives/glues (titebond,
hide, PVC-E, assorted CA), polish (Flitz), sandpaper, some general
replacement action parts. That's top of the head, sure to be missing lots of
stuff. You should also check the Guidelines for Effective Institutional
Piano Maintenance (www.ptg.org/caut.php/Guidelines), which has a list of things
for a large, full-service shop (as well as lots of other recommendations and
useful material).
    Best approach is probably to come up with the basic big stuff, and ask
for an annual budget to pick up other things as the need arises. Best of
luck!
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico