<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=Windows-1252"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1276" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><FONT face=Arial> <DIV><SPAN class=046154417-21122003>I have had great success repairing = and strengthening the bottom corners of music desks using ...</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046154417-21122003></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046154417-21122003>First: <SPAN class=828313400-22122003>T</SPAN>hick epoxy molded to fit any missing = spinters, etc., and completely filling any screw holes. Sand it smooth when dry. = Then ...</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046154417-21122003></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046154417-21122003>Second: Us<SPAN class=828313400-22122003>e</SPAN> small strips of brass plate to hide = the ugl<SPAN class=828313400-22122003>iness on each end</SPAN> AND = wrap<SPAN class=828313400-22122003> it </SPAN>around so that your newly drilled = screw holes go through the metal as well as the wood!</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046154417-21122003></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Alan R. Barnard</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2>Salem, MO</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr = align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> = Farrell [mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, December = 21, 2003 7:15 AM<BR><B>To:</B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Music Desk Price<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Dear Esteemed List Contributors,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I'm looking for some opinions on what would be = a fair price for a custom-built music desk. It is for a 1920s Baldwin grand. = It is a duplicate of the original in mahogany (as was the original) and = finished to match the previously refinished (reddish stain, clear lacquer) piano.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Is there a source for any type of complete = music desk? Can one buy a music desk from a manufacturer for a current model = piano (a Steinway, a Yamaha or whatever)? I'm thinking a fair price might be = the price of a new Yamaha desk plus some percentage (like maybe 50%?) for the = custom fit and finish.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Any opinions?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Background - for those interested in the = sordid details - go for it:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I have chosen not to charge for my time. I = will not do that. This has been the project from he%%, and I brought it on myself. = Someone leaned on the end of the music desk and broke the wood at the = end-slot. It started out that I would try and glue it back together. After getting = it back to my shop and looking more closely I realized that the break would = not fit together very well and any glue joint would be obvious - it really = needed an epoxy job, but that would get even more ugly looking. I noticed that = the other end was cracked also. The wood grain of the original runs parallel = with the ends (new ones go parallel with the long axis of = the desk). She said she wanted it to look nice - the piano has a nice = finish in very good condition. So I suggested that we just replace the ends = and refinish to match the original. She agreed, but we did not talk fees = (yes, yes, yes, I know, please spare me the lecture!!!). I feel very = comfortable charging something beyond the price of a new Yamaha desk (my guess is = maybe in the $200 - $300 range - but that's just a wild guess), but I am no = cabinet maker, and this project has taken me umpteen unmentionable hours - I = can't charge for my time - I feel that if there was a mistake made here, it = was my mistake in not knowing how long it would take for me to do this kind = of work.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I have no hesitation charging full fees for a well-defined set of services - I do that all the time. I just charged = a guy $2K for applying 472 band-aids to an old worn out square grand (only = new parts that went on it was a set of damper felts). Was the work musically = worth that price? No way. But I accurately and fully described exactly what I = would be doing, and what the results would be (and the results were as poor as = I predicted). He agreed, and I charged him (and he paid with a smile!). = My music desk project lacks that kind of clarity - so that is why I feel the = need to pursue a different fee-determination method.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry = Farrell</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan R. = Barnard</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Salem, MO</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML> <BR> <P><FONT SIZE=2>---<BR> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.<BR> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).<BR> Version: 6.0.525 / Virus Database: 322 - Release Date: 10/9/2003<BR> </FONT> </P>