Got this email from Mr. Peter Short today:
Ted we have sent out about a dozen platens to folks who very graciously sent them to us to evaluate. We think we are spot on with the material and hardness at least for the older models and are awaiting material in after the holiday to start looking at recoating the more recent models which appear to have slightly harder platens. In exchange for us coating their platens we will await responses and reaction from the folks whose platens we have recoated for the final verdict as to where we stand in being able to serve this market.
We have actually taken two orders from folks who seem comfortable with the pricing we have quoted! We are currently trying to assemble a per inch price for platens based on their ID (core OD) and OD of the platen (core and rubber) so we can provide quick pricing over the phone or via email. As with anything manufactured the more we can do of similar size ID/OD the better pricing we can achieve ad pass along to the customer. I know we are more costly than Ames probably was but at least with these two orders the customers felt our pricing was fair.
Stay tuned…we keep plugging along. Happy Fourth to you and all the members of your group. Looking to keep the typewrite platen business here and healthy in the US!
Peter
Peter J. Short
J.J. Short Associates, Inc.
315-986-2827 (fax)
All of our parts, components and tooling are proudly made by American workers in the USA!
Very Good! I am awaiting the outcome and pricing.
Thanks for keeping the typosphere posted on these encouraging developments. The Ames price really was a throwback — ridiculously low when you consider that this is now a specialty/hobbyist service — so I think most people will understand that the price has to go up.
This is such great news. I cannot wait until they go live with orders. I have a few machines that could definitely use this service and, while I am planning on learning how to do it myself, I would like to have something to compare my home done platens to. I am sure the price will fit the work involved, although I never had the opportunity to use Ames.
Thanks for the update, and please keep them coming.
Ken