Ray Finch inquired about a used spool frame in 020126 MMDigest, and
I asked what the price of a new 10-tune music roll transport assembly
from PPCo is currently.

I received two short private emails with comments.  One said that
Player Piano Company (PPCo) offers a new assembly for $800, same price
for A-roll or O-roll.  The other email said, "A used original 'A' or
'G' roll frame complete is out of sight now."

Then I asked MMDer Paul Freiling about it.  He has a PPCo transport
installed in his calliope and he's built similar roll transports from
scratch.  I asked him what a skilled machinist might charge to build a
new A-roll transport frame comparable to the PPCo assembly which Craig
Brougher described in 010716 MMDigest.  Paul estimates that a machine
shop would charge about $1100, without a tracker bar.

The economics teacher said, "The cost of goods or services is established
by the cost of the alternatives."  The cost of a new spool frame
explains why the prices for used spool frames are "out of sight" now.

Robbie Rhodes