<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16544" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>I like your idea of the Teflon tape, I always had a problem getting the lid off again.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>I must try it the next time.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>John M. Ross<BR>Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada<BR><A href="mailto:jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca">jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca</A></FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=IFixPianos@yahoo.com href="mailto:IFixPianos@yahoo.com">Michael Magness</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, October 16, 2007 6:55 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Replacement Keytops Pricing</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><BR><BR> <DIV><SPAN class=gmail_quote>On 10/16/07, <B class=gmail_sendername>Steven Hopp</B> <<A href="mailto:hoppsmusic@hotmail.com">hoppsmusic@hotmail.com</A>> wrote:</SPAN> <BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid"> <DIV><BR>Hello again,<BR> <BR>I am now proud to say I am an official associate member of PTG (Austin TX Chapter) and am looking forward to testing and RPT status in the future.  My question is as follows:<BR> <BR>What is a fair retail price for new white keytops?  Black Keytops?  Labor plus materials?  About how long does it take an experienced person (of which I am not in this area) to do the job?  I am looking at it as a learning experience so am willing to not feel like a huge profit, if any, is necessary.  What would be a good product choice for a Gulbransen console?  Thanks again. <BR> <BR>Steven Hopp<BR>Midland TX<BR><BR> <HR> Help yourself to FREE treats served up daily at the Messenger Café. <A onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.cafemessenger.com/info/info_sweetstuff2.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_OctWLtagline" target=_blank>Stop by today!</A></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hi Steven,</DIV> <DIV>I do my own keytops out of necessity not any great profit motive or enjoyment. You can find the plans for a jig to fit a miter saw at <A href="http://mothergoosetools.com">mothergoosetools.com</A> for keytop preparation. It is important to remove the old glue and a small amount of wood from the keytop for a good bond with the new glue and keytop. The glue and keytops are available from Schaff and Pianotek, in both white and off white the off white is usually the best for older pianos, uprights etc. I save the white/white for the better grands and other exceptional instruments. They just look a little too white for an average piano. </DIV> <DIV>One tip, the glue PVC-E comes in a quart jar that likes to glue itself shut, clean the threads well then put a layer of teflon tape(you'll find it in the plumbing section at the hardware store)around the jar in the direction of the threads then screw the lid back on, it will be removable the next time. (Don't ask how I know this). </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The sharps are also available from the same suppliers, be careful to measure them sharps are NOT all the same they come in different heights, lengths and when you get into replacing one or 2 on an older piano you'll discover the angle on the front can vary drastically. When replacing a set on some older pianos you may find you have to trim them for length </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>As for a retail price, that can vary from region to region and my price may be higher or lower than the going price there. It also can vary depending on whether the price includes leveling the keys or just removing them for recovering and replacing them. </DIV> <DIV>Whichever you choose to do it is a good idea to number them, the factory numbers can be hard to read, when they stamp them at the factory 33, 66 and 88 all look the same. From thei position you could probably figure those out but after you run them through the saw, the numbers may be gone! I number them, in the piano, in back of the key buttons, before I take them. I lay them out in order in a box, with a section of newsprint between each layer. </DIV> <DIV>Good luck with it,</DIV> <DIV>Mike <BR><BR clear=all><BR>-- <BR>Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.-- Albert Einstein<BR><BR><BR><BR>Michael Magness<BR>Magness Piano Service<BR>608-786-4404<BR><A href="http://www.IFixPianos.com">www.IFixPianos.com</A><BR>email <A href="mailto:mike@ifixpianos.com">mike@ifixpianos.com</A> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>