[ Ref. Gary Rasmussen in 221128 MMDigest ]

Good questions! I make the mistake of giving an estimate before
I start on a project. I usually underestimate the time... For this
latest unit leaving my shop I am probably making _maybe_ a dollar an
hour, but it's a long-time customer and he has been patient with me
as I have had a lot of "down time" this past year so he has been very
patient.

One reason it is taking so long is that someone else had been into
the piano and lots of control parts are missing, so I have to figure
them out and fabricate them. Yes, this has become more of a love of
preservation than of any economic gain.

I like to guess at $50/hour but then, since my family owns the
building, my shop overhead has been very low. This is about to change
as the building is now up for sale. I set up a shop in my garage,
but since it is un-insulated, with a tin roof, it is impossible to
keep it hot or cool enough depending on the weather. Having the shop
at home would be an ideal, in my opinion.

As to your latest experience with the wrong stuff being used
previously, I am finding that more often nowadays. I think once you
discovered the issues with that roll motor, I would consider sawing
the pneumatics off -- you're going to have to make new boards anyways!
This would likely speed up the restoration process some. It is still
likely a 1/2-day or 2/3-day project, though.

I have a Wurlitzer 2-row stack here that was put together with silicone
-- and with surplus silicone in the wind lines. I'll have to cut it
apart, make a filler strip to glue in to resolve the loss of materials
(it wasn't sawn apart before, just split open with much damage) and
redesign the assembly process to be screwed together rather than glued.
I don't yet know if I have succeeded!

Speaking of economic gain, most of us get into this biz because of the
love of the instrument and mechanisms. Now that I'm retired it is more
of a "mad money" job or a "help pay the bills and keep me from being
underfoot" job than supporting a lifestyle.

David Dewey
Oroville, California