I'm with you, Gregor. I could do a key top job in 3-4 hours, but I definitely have to put more time than that into them to get them as nice as I want. We usually have 6-8 hours in them and charge $295. It's good shop time for my sons. As for equipment, you can make a router table set up according to Spurlock's plans in the journal, and virtually pay for it with your first job. People want to get their keys recovered, just not right now. Once they decide to do it, the price is not really an issue. I have little ads on the back of my tuning reminder post cards: one for bench repair (I can repair any bench for around $50), one for CA treatment of tuning pins (Have you been told your piano can't be tuned?), and one for key top recovering. They keep it out there in front of the customer with pricing, so when they decide price is not an issue. I have sold several jobs off those ads. Dean Dean May cell 812.239.3359 PianoRebuilders.com 812.235.5272 Terre Haute IN 47802 -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Gregor _ Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 4:28 AM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: RE: Kimball Consolette keytop problem >From: "Alan R. Barnard" > >Well, okay. I charge $150 for new, plastic, one piece whites, extra for >sharps. Takes me a couple of hours in shop and maybe another half to one >hour trimming and fitting in the field. Perhaps I do something wrong, but I am astonished about the low price. The replace job takes me at least 8 hours including trimming with a file. Sometimes adequate keytops (length) are not available, so I have to shorten the keys with a bandsaw which takes additional time. Is that an usual amount of time or am I really so slow? Gregor _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
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